Maneka Gandhi: It’s Time For Indian Films To Speak For Animals & The Voiceless

New Delhi: The Film Federation of India (FFI), in collaboration with People for Animals (PFA), on Thursday announced the launch of CineKind, a new initiative that recognises acts of kindness and humane storytelling in Indian cinema. The first CineKind Awards will be held in Kolkata on December 20, 2025.

The initiative aims to celebrate films and creators who use their art to promote compassion, empathy and awareness for animals, the environment, and ethical living.

Speaking to ANI, Chairperson of PFA Maneka Sanjay Gandhi explained the purpose behind the initiative.

“CineKind will give awards every year to the most compassionate films. It will be held every year in October. Films change the culture of India, and they influence people. It is important to involve the whole of the film industry,” she said.

Noting that CineKind would spotlight stories that speak for those without a voice, Gandhi said, “When we watch a film, we laugh, we cry, we live the story. But imagine a story that asks: What about the voiceless? What about the creatures who share this world but cannot speak for themselves? With CineKind, we want to shine a light on those stories. Every picture, every scene that honours kindness matters.”

President of FFI, Firdausul Hasan, said cinema has unmatched power to influence people and shift social attitudes.

“Films have unmatched reach. They stir emotions, challenge beliefs and spark change. With CineKind, we are saying that kindness should be as celebrated on screen as any action or drama. This isn’t just an award ceremony; it’s a movement to change how we tell stories, and how we live,” he said.

The CineKind Awards will feature ten categories highlighting different expressions of compassion in storytelling, including the CineKind Compassion Award, the highest honour for works that embody kindness through cinema; the Director of Change Award for filmmakers promoting care for animals or the environment; and the Actor for Kindness Award for actors advocating humane values.

Other categories include Cinematic Impact Award for Animal Welfare, Kindness in Frame Award, Voice for the Voiceless Award, Innovation for Compassion Award, Visual Storyteller for Animals Award, Guardians of Kindness Award and Humane Influence Award.
The trophies for all categories are being designed by renowned artist Paresh Maity, symbolising empathy and the human-animal connection.

Chairperson of the CineKind Awards Committee Sandeep Marwah said the recognition seeks to encourage filmmakers to use their creative voice for positive change and inspire a more empathetic society.

The organisers said CineKind will also introduce mentorships for filmmakers, promote cruelty-free production practices and collaborate with film festivals and OTT platforms to bring humane stories to wider audiences.

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)