IndiaPosted at: Nov 15 2026 4:57PM


Five decades, many makeovers, one peacock: The evolving face of IFFI

Parwinder Sandhu
New Delhi, Nov15 (UNI) The dancing peacock, which has become synonymous with the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), will once again take centre stage when the 57th edition of the festival is held in Panaji, Goa, from November 20 to 28. Carrying the theme 'Stories Without Borders,' this year's festival has given the familiar emblem a contemporary look, continuing a visual tradition that has evolved alongside Indian cinema for more than five decades.
The official poster for IFFI 2026 features the iconic peacock in a vibrant design, while the festival catalogue carries a stylised blue peacock against an elaborate circular geometric pattern, with colourful star-shaped motifs and a mandala-inspired arrangement. The design retains the bird's familiar identity while giving it a fresh artistic treatment, in keeping with the festival's international character.
The peacock has been an integral part of IFFI's identity for 42 years, although the festival itself began in 1952. It was formally adopted as the permanent insignia in 1975, during the fifth edition, along with the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The World Is One Family). India's national bird is seen as an appropriate symbol for a festival that brings together films, filmmakers and audiences from different countries and cultures.
Since then, the emblem has undergone several makeovers, with designers and artists finding new ways to interpret the bird without abandoning its central place in the festival's identity.
One of the most notable redesigns came in 2011, when artist and production designer Thotta Tharani reworked the 'Peacock on Print', while filmmaker and cinematographer Shaji N. Karun conceived the 'Peacock Dance on Celluloid' for the festival's signature film.
Three interpretations were developed at the time. One showed two peacocks facing each other, representing the meeting of Indian and international cinema. Another depicted a peacock carrying a globe with strokes of the tricolour, conveying the idea of the world coming to India. The third featured a rainbow-coloured filmstrip forming the bird's tail, symbolising the coming together of different cinematic genres.
The following year, the 43rd edition brought another variation, with noted art director Nitin Desai designing the festival poster around the centenary of Indian feature films. The composition drew on the peacock's feathers, combining shades of blue and gold with a filmstrip to mark 100 years of Indian cinema.
The festival's effort to take the emblem beyond a conventional logo continued in subsequent editions. In 2017, fashion designer Sunil Sethi was appointed Chief Design Advisor, with the peacock's colours and visual elements extended to the festival's overall décor, including auditoriums, lobbies and other public spaces.
A particularly distinctive interpretation came in 2024, when the 55th edition incorporated India's traditional folk and floor-art forms into the peacock's feathers. The design brought together five regional traditions; Alpana from Uttarakhand, Muggu Kolam from southern India, Aripan from Bihar, Warli from Maharashtra and Madana from Madhya Pradesh.
The idea was to reflect the country's cultural diversity through a single image, much as Indian cinema brings together different languages, traditions and storytelling styles. The redesign also gave regional art forms a place in the visual identity of one of the country's biggest international cultural events.
For the 57th edition, the peacock returns in a geometric, contemporary form, with its elaborate design complementing the theme 'Stories Without Borders'. While the artistic treatment may change from one edition to another, the bird remains the connecting thread through IFFI's history.UNI PWS AAB
Tags: #Five decades# many makeovers# one peacock: The evolving face of IFFI
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Five decades, many makeovers, one peacock: The evolving face of IFFI

15 Nov 2026 | 4:57 PM

Parwinder Sandhu
New Delhi, Nov15 (UNI) The dancing peacock, which has become synonymous with the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), will once again take centre stage when the 57th edition of the festival is held in Panaji, Goa, from November 20 to 28. Carrying the theme 'Stories Without Borders,' this year's festival has given the familiar emblem a contemporary look, continuing a visual tradition that has evolved alongside Indian cinema for more than five decades.

see more..