Filmmaker Farah Khan joined content creators and industry figures at the Edits Film Festival in Mumbai on 14 October, sharing her approach to storytelling across feature films and short-form digital content. The festival concluded with awards for three creators recognised for their storytelling and use of Edits, Instagram’s video-editing app.
The event saw the participation of festival jury members Ahsaas Channa, Dolly Singh, Nikhil Taneja and Rajeev Masand, alongside an audience of over 100 content creators. Ishank Gupta, Sanya Rohillaa and Ahsan Vazir emerged as the winners, with their submissions standing out for their diverse storytelling approaches and creative use of the platform’s editing features.
The festival invited creators to submit content made from unpolished videos in their camera rolls, edited using Edits. The submissions opened in August, with creators given 45 days to participate. According to the organisers, the selected entries demonstrated a mix of experimentation, restraint and storytelling skill.
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Speaking about her own approach to creating content, Khan highlighted the value of spontaneity over elaborate planning. Despite her experience directing feature films for theatrical audiences, she said her approach to Instagram Reels is considerably more instinctive.
“People assume there’s a big plan behind it, but I don’t overthink what I post,” Khan said, adding that Gen Z had influenced her approach to social media. She pointed to their nonchalant attitude and willingness to share content without second-guessing themselves.
Whether it is a clip from her show, a casual conversation or an impromptu moment of mischief, Khan said she prefers to let things unfold naturally. She believes audiences respond most strongly to content that combines relatability and authenticity with humour.
Ankit Rihal, Head of Global Partnerships at Meta India, said the festival was designed to encourage creators to experiment with unfamiliar features and explore fresh ways of telling stories. He added that providing creators with the right tools, platforms and opportunities remained central to Meta’s efforts.
The festival highlighted how short-form content is evolving into a storytelling medium in its own right, where polished production is not necessarily the defining factor. As Khan’s approach suggests, sometimes the most effective content comes from being spontaneous, relatable and unapologetically real.