As HORTUS 2025 prepares to unfold in Kochi from November 27 to 30, Onmanorama is inviting festival-goers to turn their experience into a creative one-minute reel. The Hortus Reels Contest, open exclusively to visitors at the venue, celebrates the festival’s rich mix of literature, conversation, performance and artistic expression.

Participants also stand a chance to win exciting cash prizes:

• First Prize worth ₹10,000
• Second Prize worth ₹5,000
• Third Prize worth ₹3,000

Theme: “A Day in Hortus”
Create a 1-minute original Instagram reel that reflects what Hortus feels like through your eyes — a snippet from a conversation, a performance, an installation, a workshop, or simply the festival’s atmosphere.

HORTUS brings together writers, artists, performers, thinkers, filmmakers, musicians, comedians, chefs, designers and audiences for four days of talks, readings, debates, music, theatre, dance, comedy, film screenings, exhibitions, visual art, photography, culinary showcases and workshops. This vibrant setting offers countless moments and moods for reel-makers to capture.

How to participate

• Attend Hortus between November 27 & 30, 2025
• Shoot and edit your 1-minute reel on the theme “A Day in Hortus”
• Post it on Instagram with #OnmanoramaAtHortus and #ReelOn
• Ensure Onmanorama branding appears for at least 5 seconds
• Post before 11 am on November 30
• Only one entry per participant will be accepted

Judging
All entries will be screened by the Onmanorama team before jury evaluation. Reels will be judged on:

• Creativity (30%)
• Originality (30%)
• Adherence to theme (20%)
• Technical quality (10%)
• Engagement (10%)

Final winners will be selected based on jury marks and engagement after the reel is shared on Onmanorama’s Instagram handle.

A chance to be featured
Selected reels may appear on Onmanorama, Malayala Manorama’s social media platforms, and even in the Malayala Manorama newspaper.

Terms and Conditions
By participating in the Competition, you agree to abide by these Terms and any additional guidelines provided by Onmanorama. Onmanorama reserves the right to modify or cancel the Competition at any time without prior notice.

These terms and conditions ("Terms") govern your participation in the Onmanorama Hortus Reels Contest ("hereinafter referred to as Competition, wherever the context so appears") scheduled to be held During November 27 to 30, 2025 at the Manorama Hortus venue, shall mean and include all the programmes and other itineraries planned to be conducted by Onmanorama. By participating in the Competition, you agree to abide and comply with these Terms and that may be prescribed during the time of the Competition as instructed by officials of the Onmanorama Division owned, manned and managed by Malayala Manorama Co Private Limited.

1. Eligibility: This Competition ("Competition") is open only to those who currently visit Manorama Hortus, Kochi.

2. Participants below 18 years of age are restricted from participating in the Competition.

3. Once a participant is selected as winner, they will be asked to produce their photos for publication.

4. While submitting the candidate’s photograph, participants must ensure that their face is clearly visible. Onmanorama reserves the right to publish the submitted photograph on its website, official social media platforms, and in the Malayala Manorama daily newspaper, if deemed necessary.

5. Only one submission per participant is allowed. Multiple submissions from the same participant will result in disqualification.

6. Children/students/relatives directly related to the Employees/Personnel of Malayala Manorama group, sister concerns, affiliates and other agencies associated with Malayala Manorama are also strictly restricted from participating in the Competition.

7. The Competition shall be held from November 27, 2025 to November 30, 2025.

8. The theme for the 1-minute short video is 'A Day in Hortus.'

9. The prospective applicants/participants to the Competition can create an original short video adhering strictly to the given theme and duration of 1 minute. Those exceeding the time limit will be disqualified outright.

10. Reels submitted through the specified medium in the notification/advertisement of the Competition shall only be accepted, and Malayala Manorama reserves the discretion to accept or reject the entries or reels.

11. For participating in the contest, participant has to publish the reel with Onmanorama branding displayed for at least 5 seconds through their Instagram profile and must have designated hashtags (#OnmanoramaAtHortus and #ReelOn) present. The contents published as specified, till 11 AM, November 30, 2025, shall only be considered, unless otherwise determined by Onmanorama.

12. Onmanorama reserves the right to share or promote the contents created by any of the Social Media Influencers except as specifically created for Onmanorama under these agreed terms and conditions.

13. That content which includes but not limited to unwelcoming contents with sexual flavours, adult, vulgar, indecent, politically biased, purposeful provocation, indecent exposure or representation of women or men inviting erotic attention, or other types which are purely against social well-being and illegal, shall be rejected ab initio and will not be encouraged during any stage of the Competition.

14. Participants agree that the team nominated and deputed by Onmanorama shall initially screen the theme, analysing the technical features audio/video clarity, quality and its authenticity. Any videos that do not meet the basic quality standards prescribed by Onmanorama will be disqualified without any notice or information and shall short list the participants.

15. Selection: Based on the list prepared by Onmanorama, the shortlisted candidates will be nominated to the Competition on a first-come, first-served basis.

16. Participants further agree that the post analysis and verification of the entries by Onmanorama team, designated juries/judges engaged and arranged by Onmanorama shall evaluate the shortlisted Reels based on the following criteria: A. Creativity - 30% B. Originality - 30% C. Adherence to the theme -20% D. Technical quality -10% E. Engagement- 10%.

17. The decision of the Judging Panel shall be final and binding on the participants.

18. Prizes and benefits: Onmanorama may arrange cash prizes or other benefits for the participants based on the reach, quality, views, likes, positive comments etc. The prizes, if any, may include A. First prize worth Rs 10,000 B. Second prize worth Rs 5,000 B. Third prize worth Rs 3,000. This will be based on the total number of likes and views the reel receives after being shared on Onmanorama's Instagram handle.

19. Winner Declaration: Onmanorama reserves the right to declare the winners.

20. The contents sent to Onmanorama shall be the intellectual property of the Malayala Manorama Co Private Limited/Onmanorama and shall reserve the right to reproduce the same in any manner for any purpose and the participants waives off all his/her rights over the content on sending/posting their contents to Manorama, reserving the right to add credit line by Onmanorama at its discretion.

21. The participants consent to give their personal details, including contact, address, personal identification records, and technical records as may be found necessary by Manorama/Onmanorama, which shall be stored and used by Malayala Manorama for contacting and promotional purposes for a period of not less than 12 months from the announcement of the Competition.

22. The participants shall not be permitted to create their promotional content during or after the Competition based on any information about the Competition.

23. The participants shall not use the content in any manner detrimental to the interests of Malayala Manorama Co Private Limited/Onmanorama, which includes camouflage, editing, or mixing with any other contents. Their use of the contents created by them at the Competition shall only for the promotional activities as may be instructed by Malayala Manorama Co Private Limited/Onmanorama.

24. Onmanorama reserves the right to record/broadcast/post or telecast the Competition in part or in full and without the express permission of Onmanorama, no other person shall be eligible to use the Competition content in any manner.

25. Participants are solely responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions or clearances for any copyrighted material (music, images, etc.) used in their videos, if any, in accordance with the terms of the Competition. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

26. Onmanorama shall not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by a participant as a result of participating in this Competition.

27. Participants agree to indemnify and hold harmless Onmanorama from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses arising out of or related to their participation in the Competition or their submission.

28. Any non-compliance with the above terms and conditions at any stage of the Competition shall result in the immediate disqualification and elimination of the participant without prior notice.

Content Usage Agreement
By agreeing to participate in Onmanorama Hortus Reels Contest, nominees consent to the following: Content Usage: All content created with the nominees, including but not limited to posts, images, videos, and captions, may be posted on Onmanorama's social media platforms. Onmanorama reserves the right to post, edit, or change this content as per its convenience.