Amitabh Bachchan turned emotional as he recalled a KBC participant from rural Bengal who had to discontinue her studies because her father couldn’t afford the expense. “When she won Rs 1.5 lakh, I asked her what she’d do with the money and she said she’d show it to her father.”
Jamaibabu was speaking at the inauguration of the 20th Kolkata International Film Festival presided over by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Fifteen films by women directors from across the globe will compete for the Golden Royal Bengal Tiger trophy.
Big B started and ended his speech in Bengali. Shah Rukh Khan spoke in bangla too, and thanked singer-composer Jeet Ganguly for his speech. Tanuja and Irrfan Khan were also present.
The eight-day fest will screen 137 films from 60 countries, of which 31 are Indian, including 13 in Bengali. There are 40 international delegates and 15 segments. Headed by award-winning Australian filmmaker Paul Cox, the jury comprises Iranian director Nikki Karimi and Indian flmmaker Amol Palekar, among others.
One of the highlights is the Jean-Luc Godard’s 3D drama, Goodbye To Language.Arab cinema is in focus. There’s a special tribute to Bengali actress Suchitra Sen.
Hollywood classics like Guns Of Navarone, The Sound Of Music and Jighangsa by Ajoy Kar feature in the ‘Centenary Tribute’. The ‘Great Master’ segment will showcase seven films, including Lolita. ‘Bengali Panorama’ will have five world premieres. Govind Nihalani will deliver the Satyajit Ray Memorial lecture. ‘Children Screening’ and ‘French Classics’ are the other must-watch.
The inaugural film was Alessia Scarso’s Italian film, Italo Barocco.
(L to R) Amitabh Bachchan, Prosenjit, Mamata Banerjee, Aishwarya Rai, Ranjit Mallick, Abhishek Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan at KIFF
