Don Bosco College, Panjim hosted Goa's largest intercollegiate event for film enthusiasts, ‘Cinemania’ on October 14 and 15, 2024. The third edition of this event was organised by its Department of Mass Communication and Journalism and the Cinemaniacs Film Club.

The first day featured inter-departmental contests where students of Don Bosco College competed for the top honours. The chief guest was Sobita Kudtarkar, an actress, dancer and cultural activist known for her short films and music videos. Cinemania 2024 was officially inaugurated with the lighting of the lamp by Ms Sobita, along with the College Principal Dr Cedric Silveira, Cinemaniacs Faculty in-charge Agnelo D'Souza, Secretary Rameez Shaikh and Assistant Secretary Rhucha Bhobe.


During the inaugural ceremony, Rhucha reflected on the journey of Cinemania, emphasising a call for creativity and collaboration. Dr Cedric praised the efforts of the Cinemania team and encouraged participants to enjoy the contests. Ms Sobita expressed her belief that cinema is more than just entertainment; it embodies talent and persuasion. The compere Ruschel Manakal concluded the inaugural session by expressing gratitude to all the participants, noting that their enthusiasm added prestige to the event.
The first pre-event ‘Phata Poster Nikla Kaun’ set an energetic tone as team mascots unveiled their posters, while ‘Mismatched Dobara’ showcased captivating performances of Hollywood characters intermingled with Bollywood icons. For the ‘Animate Amigos’ fashion show, participants dazzled the audience with creative costumes inspired by animated films. The ‘ADCD - Any Department Can Dance’ competition showcased diverse talents, encouraging the audience to groove along.


Off-stage activities included ‘The Cinemaniacs Want to Know’, a debate that honed the contestants' critical thinking and public speaking skills, as well as a Blockbuster Quiz that tested their knowledge of cinema. The ‘Ready Trailer One’ challenge invited participants to unleash their creativity with exciting movie trailers. A special Teacher's Quiz was hosted by Cinemaniacs Faculty in-charge Agnelo D'Souza where Assistant Professors Ardra Naik and Marina Martins emerged victorious. The efforts of the teams were recognised during the valedictory function, where accolades were presented. The team ‘Pirates of The Caribbean’ (Department of Mass Communication and Journalism) emerged as the overall champions, while Team Hangover (Department of Business Administration) were declared the runners-up. As Day 1 concluded, the Club Secretary Rameez thanked the participants and unveiled a teaser for the next day’s events.

Day Two of Cinemania witnessed a closely-contested battle among seven participating colleges. FY BBA student Siddharth Kittur welcomed the gathering in true cinematic style, dressed as a town crier. The Director Rev Fr Joaquim Lobo motivated the participants and conveyed his appreciation for the Cinemania crew who made it possible. The chief guest was veteran filmmaker Mr Mukund Sincro, known for his work in the series ‘The Night Manager’. Mr Sincro spoke about the passion required in the film industry and the importance of understanding the audience. The Cinemaniacs were treated to a nostalgic glimpse into previous editions of Cinemania, following which Mr Sincro officially declared Cinemania 3.0 open.


The teams introduced themselves with their introductory videos, taking inspiration from ‘Andaz Apna Apna’. In the ‘Director’s Pitch’ segment, participants pitched ideas for movies, complete with budget plans and preferred cast choices. For ‘What If?’, participants engaged in a creative exploration of hypothetical scenarios, imagining alternate endings to popular films. This was followed by group dance performances and exhilarating dance-offs for the event titled ‘Footloose’. In the ‘Genres of the Galaxy’ segment, participants showcased their genres on the ramp, with showstoppers competing for the titles of Mr and Ms Cinemania. Contestants were quizzed about their characters to test their knowledge. Off-stage events included ‘Blockbuster Quiz, ‘The Guy in the Chair’, and ‘Take 5’, a five-hour filmmaking challenge.

The valedictory ceremony was a thrilling closure to the fun-filled event. Kaustubh Chari, dressed as Chota Pandit, clinched the prestigious title of Mr Cinemania, while Luanna Fernandes was crowned Ms Cinemania for her iconic performance as Neytiri. Team ‘Kareena Kapoor’ (Sridora Caculo College, Mapusa) emerged as the overall winners, while Team ‘Salman Khan’ (Parvatibai Chowgule College, Margao) were the well-deserved runners-up. The event concluded with the Cinemaniacs Faculty in-charge Agnelo D’Souza proposing the vote of thanks. Cinemania 2024 was a runaway success and a memorable experience for all those involved.