Questions raised over public funds spent on children’s film festival

MARGAO
Serious questions have been raised over the organisation, credibility and utilisation of public funds for the Bulbul Children’s International Film Festival (BCIFF), including its previous editions and the proposed BCIFF 2026 scheduled in January, with demands for greater transparency and accountability in the use of government funds.
Stressing that public money cannot be disbursed on the basis of unverifiable claims, Madganvcho Awaaz and youth leader Prabhav Naik said the Department of Information and Publicity must ensure strict compliance by mandating photographic and videographic evidence to substantiate the scope of work, events conducted, footfalls and outreach before releasing any payments.
Naik stated that no payment should be released unless full compliance is ensured and all claims are backed by verifiable visual documentation.
“RTI disclosures reveal that the first edition of BCIFF in 2024 was awarded to Antarang Productions, Margao, for Rs 1.50 crore without following codal formalities and without a specific budget head. In 2025, although bids were invited, only two agencies applied and a technically experienced agency was disqualified, raising serious doubts about transparency and fairness. Incidentally, Antarang Productions was again awarded the contract,” stated Naik.
Naik has flagged a clear conflict of interest, pointing out that office bearers of Antarang Productions were appointed as directors of BCIFF 2025. He has also questioned the expenditure for BCIFF 2025, which touched nearly Rs 2.94 crore, stating that the public has not been provided with any detailed, verifiable breakdown to justify such spending.
Claims made by the Department of Information and Publicity regarding participation and footfalls at BCIFF programmes have also been termed misleading and unverifiable, Naik said.
Further, Naik has sought clarity on the basis on which the festival is being projected as an “international” film festival, including whether it possesses any recognised international accreditation.
He reiterated that accountability, transparency and documentary proof must be non-negotiable prerequisites for spending public funds and that the government must answer these questions before proceeding with BCIFF 2026.