Dolcy D’Cruz
Ganesh Chaturthi may come once a year, but the emotion of welcoming Ganesha lives on throughout the year, a sentiment that found a chord with the jury as ‘Ganapati Tu Sarvashreshtha’ won at the Pimpri Chinchwad International Film Festival of India 2026. The festival was held at Ga Di Madgulkar Natyagruha, Pune, Maharashtra, where the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) was the official partner. Written and composed by Goan creator Neelai Naik, the music video tells an emotional story of a family celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi, highlighting how the festival brings family members together despite misunderstandings and f ills the home with joy and togetherness. Fatorda-based Neelai’s journey in music began with writing during his college days. He participated in inter college poetry competitions and poetry meets. He began experimenting with song writing during Covid. He wrote and composed his first love song, ‘Hye Moga Sang Mhaka’. Since then, he has written and composed several songs in Konkani and Marathi. His previous music videos include ‘Darya Deger,’ ‘Omkara Shree Gajavadana,’ ‘Oolo Marta Damodara,’ ‘Hye Moga Sang Mhaka,’ and now ‘Ganapati Tu Sarvashreshtha.’ Speaking about the moment the song won at the festival, Neelai explains his emotions, “It was truly a very special and emotional moment for us. One of my teammates and I personally attended the festival, and we were really impressed with how beautifully it was organised. Films from different countries had participated in various categories like feature films, short films, documentary f ilms, animation films, and music videos. The officially selected entries were screened during the festival, which itself felt like a proud achievement. When the announcements started and the third and second positions were declared, for a moment we felt that maybe we had not made it this time. But when the Best Music Video Award was announced and our project ‘Ganapati Tu Sarvashreshtha’ was called out, it was an unbelievable and proud moment. It felt like a true recognition of the hard work, dedication, and passion that our entire team had put into this project.” Devotion to Lord Ganesh played a major role in inspiring the song. The video of the song was released during Ganesh Chaturthi in August 2025, as it felt like the perfect time to present a song dedicated to Lord Ganesha and celebrate the spirit of devotion and togetherness. The song is sung by Aniket Daddikar, directed by Ramprasad Adpaikar, with cinematography by Sumit Raj, and produced by Adesh Karwarkar. “The credit for the story and visualisation of the music video goes to our director, Ramprasad D Adpaikar, who is one of the finest directors. The story beautifully highlights that even when families go through misunderstandings or disputes, occasions like Ganesh Chaturthi often become a reason for everyone to come back home and reconnect. That emotional aspect of togetherness was the core idea behind the video. I would like to thank Dr Leena Prabhudessai for generously allowing us to shoot in her beautiful house. It gave the perfect homely setting for the story,” says Neelai. The cast of the music video includes Aniket Daddikar, Vijaykumar Pandurang Kamat, Tejashri V N Khavante, Sanjiv Prabhu, Rati Bhatikar, Radhakant Divkar, Shrilekha Limaye, Vardhan V Kamat, Rucha Vardhan Kamat, Pooja Sinai Khandeparkar, Kanak Ulhas Chavan, Srinika Sachin Naik, Vivaan Kamat, and Aahan Kamat. Earlier, the music video had also won the 3rd Best Music Video Award at the Mumba International Film Festival, where the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) was the official partner. “Through ‘Ganapati Tu Sarvashreshtha,’ I hope audiences feel the true spirit of Ganesh Chaturthi. In Goa especially, this festival has a beautiful tradition of bringing families back home, strengthening bonds, and reminding us of the importance of unity despite misunderstandings. Talent is truly a gift from God, and not everyone is blessed with it. Those who are creative, put in a lot of effort, passion, and dedication to bring meaningful projects to life. People should appreciate and encourage artists for their work, because that motivation helps them continue creating. I also hope that more producers and supporters from Goa come forward to back such artistic and cultural projects f inancially, so that we can continue showcasing our traditions, stories, and talent on bigger platforms. When the community supports its artists, it helps preserve our culture and inspire many more creative minds in the future,” concludes Neelai
