Goa’s biggest annual cinema gathering is set to wear a distinctly high profile Hindi film sheen this year. The 57th International Film Festival of India, scheduled from November 20 to November 28, 2026, has locked Dhurandhar as the opening feature of Indian Panorama, while Ramayana will launch the BRICS segment, underscoring how firmly mainstream Indian tentpoles are now woven into the festival’s international showcase.
Dhurandhar Opens Indian Panorama
The announcement came at the IFFI 2026 curtain raiser, where organisers also confirmed that the festival will be held under the theme Stories Without Borders. The official programme is expansive, with more than 150 international films from 86 countries set to screen in Goa after the festival received over 1,900 submissions from 137 countries.
Within that larger canvas, Dhurandhar landing the Indian Panorama opening slot is a major statement. The section will present 76 Indian films across 18 languages, and the choice of a Hindi feature to lead the showcase gives the film immediate visibility within one of India’s key festival platforms.
That momentum extends into another headline grabbing selection. Ramayana has been chosen to open the BRICS segment, a section that will bring together films from all 11 BRICS member countries along with partner nations. The placement gives the film a distinctly international frame and adds another mainstream Hindi title to IFFI’s most visible programming conversation.
The Kerala Story 2 Adds Competition Heat
The other title turning heads is The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond, which has entered the International Competition lineup. That berth places the film in a section where programming choices are often read as a statement of intent, especially when the lineup includes titles expected to generate debate as well as attention.
The selection also gives The Kerala Story 2 a different kind of festival identity from the other two films. While Dhurandhar arrives with the ceremonial weight of an opening slot and Ramayana gets a global showcase through BRICS, The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond enters the arena where films are directly measured against an international field.
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What These Selections Mean For Iffi 2026
That contrast is exactly what makes this cluster of announcements feel larger than a routine festival reveal. Taken together, the placements suggest IFFI 2026 is leaning into a bolder blend of festival credibility and mainstream visibility, using headline grabbing Hindi titles to widen the event’s cultural footprint without giving up its international ambitions.
The strategy is visible in how clearly each title has been positioned. Dhurandhar carries the symbolic honour of opening Indian Panorama, Ramayana gets a cross national launch pad in the BRICS showcase, and The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond takes the competition route, where the conversation is driven by selection value as much as audience curiosity.
For the films, those slots create three different kinds of momentum. Dhurandhar gains immediate prestige within the Indian festival circuit, Ramayana gets a broad international showcase, and The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond enters IFFI with the sharpest competitive edge of the trio.
With Goa ready to host IFFI from November 20, the trio of Dhurandhar, Ramayana and The Kerala Story 2 has already ensured that the festival’s Hindi film story will begin well before the first screening lights go down.
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