Shah Rukh and Amitabh open Kolkata film festival
As many as 171 feature films, 150 short films and documentaries will be screened
Amid showbiz greats including actor Shah Rukh Khan and Iranian director Majid Majidi, Amitabh Bachchan on Saturday inaugurated the 24th Kolkata international Film Festival, delivering a stirring speech saluting those working behind the scenes.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee promised to “put up something like Cannes” in 2019, when the event completes 25 years.
Bachchan, who has been inaugurating the fest over the last few years, did the honours this time as well by lighting the lamp. Leading Bengali actress Rituparna Sengupta was present along with him.
With the festival this year celebrating 100 years of Bengali cinema, Bengali film legends from
different eras such as Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukhopadyay, Sabitri Chatterjee, Biswajit Chatterjee and Ranjit Mallick were seated at the dais.
A directory on 100 years of Bangla cinema, put together by the state’s Information and Cultural Affairs Department, was released by Bachchan during the function.
The veteran actor said filmmaking was a team effort, where
every member, big or small, had a key role to play.
“Sadly, it is noticed that as the film ends and the credits roll, the audience gets up and leaves the theatre,” he said.
Underscoring the importance of movies, he said: “They trigger something special by provoking a variety of emotions. Films can become a reflection of collective dreams where we look to something much larger than ourselves, hold our breath and suspend our beliefs...”
“Today, I take this opportunity to salute all those working tirelessly behind the scenes, from the hardworking spot boys to the highly talented specialists who keep these dreams alive and contribute to making our movies so immensely popular,” he added.
Bachchan ended his speech by saying that nothing was more potent than the intoxication of good cinema.
Film director Mahesh Bhatt said that the narrative of India cannot be reduced to one colour. He said the plurality of a diverse country like India needed to be celebrated, and underlined the importance of events like the KIFF that commits itself only to the idea of India which says all make it together or none of us makes it.
“In this changing, shifting times, I believe that the filmmakers and storytellers will hold the world together. It is the occasion to realise that one of us is much lesser than all of us,” Bhatt added.