Noted filmmaker Muzaffar Ali to deliver 4th Prof Urmi Kessar Memorial Lecture at Panjab University on January 16

Chandigarh, January 9, 2026: Eminent filmmaker and artist Muzaffar Ali will deliver the 4th Professor Urmi Kessar Memorial Lecture at Panjab University, Chandigarh, on the theme “Art for Peace” on January 16. The prestigious lecture will be organised at 11.30 am at the PU Law Auditorium on the Sector 14 university campus.

The Professor Urmi Kessar Memorial Lecture Series was instituted in memory of the late Professor Urmi Kessar, a distinguished scholar of fine arts and art history, best known for her work on the social content of modern Indian painting. The annual lecture aims to promote meaningful engagement with ideas related to art, culture, literature and history, and to encourage dialogue between scholars, practitioners and students.

The lecture series is supported by the Professor Urmi Kessar Memorial Fund, established by the Kessar family, and has, over the years, hosted several eminent voices from India and abroad. Previous speakers include historian William Dalrymple, who spoke on “Princess and Painters in Late Mughal Delhi, 1707–1857”, and writer Vikram Seth, who addressed the theme “Thoughts on Being a Writer”. The third edition, held in January last year, featured poet and lyricist Irshad Kamil, whose lecture examined the relevance of poetry in contemporary times.

Besides being a noted filmmaker, Muzaffar Ali is also a well-known painter whose work bridges cinema, visual art and cultural expression. His debut film Gaman won multiple National Awards and the Silver Peacock at the International Film Festival of India. Umrao Jaan earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Director and continues to find global audiences, including a recent restored 4K screening at international film festivals in 2025. His later films include Aagaman, Anjuman and Jaanisaar.

Alongside filmmaking, Ali has pursued painting for over five decades, with exhibitions in India and abroad. He is also the founder of the Jahan-e-Khusrau World Sufi Music Festival and the Wajid Ali Shah Festival in Lucknow, organised under the Rumi Foundation, where he serves as Chairman and Executive Director. He has been honoured with the Padma Shri and the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award.

A large number of faculty members, students, alumni and invited guests are expected to attend the lecture, which is open to the public.