One hundred years of Bengali cinema based out of Tollywood in Kolkata was celebrated at the 24th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) at Calcuttans very own Netaji Indoor Stadium on Saturday 10th November. Over 171 movies and 150 short films from 70 countries will be screened in 16 auditorium of West Bengal during the film festival. These include Arijit Biswas’ directorial debut, Sun Goes Around The Earth, featuring Kolkata scientist K C Paul – who has been trying to prove that the sun goes around the earth, and not the other way around.
The festival is going to celebrate 100 years of Bengali cinema and classics like Kabuliwala by Tapan Sinha, Uttar Falguni by Asit Sen and Rituparno Ghosh’s Unishey April, will be screened among others.
Homage will be paid to Supriya Devi by screening Meghe Dhaka Tara.
It was mesmerizing to see Satyajit Ray favourite and Bengali cinema’s iconic Soumitra Chatterjee inaugurated the 24th edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival along with Bollywood’s greatest actor of this era Amitabh Bachchan.
Australia has been selected as the ‘focal theme country’ for the festival, while Tunisia has been selected as ‘special focus country’.
Amitabh Bachchan inaugurated the event by lighting the ceremonial lamp while Shah Rukh Khan released the festival brochure.
“Today there is a need to talk about those who worked behind the scenes of celebrated film productions, accomplished technicians and the creative minds that are never given their due. It is more often than not it is the director, hero or heroine who are remembered by the people for the success or failure of a particular film. But unfortunately not enough credit is given to the achievements of whose who work behind the scenes,” Bachchan said in his address.
The Bollywood superstar said that the technicians in film industry remain “anonymous”.
“Do you ever watch the credits at the end of a film and wonder why so many people are involved? Film-making is a team effort and every member, big or small, has a key role to play. Some, a very few, though, remain seated till credits end…,” Amitabh Bacchan added..
The event inaugurated and attended by Indian and international film actors and directors like Jaya Bacchan, Waheeda Rehman, Mahesh Bhatt, Nandita Das, renowned Iranian director Majid Majidi, Australian film editor Jill Bilcock ,Simon Baker, Philip Noyce and Bengali film stalwarts like Sabitri Chatterjee, Biswajit Chatterjee ,Ranjit Mullick and Madhabi Mukherjee etc..
Speaking on the occasion, actor Shahrukh Khan and director Mahesh Bhatt spoke on the need to use cinema as a medium to safeguard the diversity of India.
“In the 21st century, when despite the spread of technology something is making us divisive; the only thing that can bring us together is art, the most efficient among them being cinema,” Shah Rukh Khan said. As always, Khan wooed the audience by shouting ‘I love you all and also called Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ‘beautiful’.
Director Mahesh Bhatt said: “We cannot reduce narrative India into one colour. This festival shows the idea of India: either we sail through together or we perish together.”Actor Amitabh Bacchan narrated the importance of people on the film sets who silently make a film successful without any recognition and gave examples of such people who rose to become successful actors and directors. He also applauded the efforts of the state government to conserve heritage Bengali films.
Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi said: “I salute the city of Satyajit Ray from whom I have learnt a lot.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee vowed to take KIFF forward to the levels of the Cannes film festival. “It is a big thing that Bengali film industry has completed its 100 years. The status of KIFF had been destroyed before we came to power and we restored KIFF to its original glory. Next year, we will celebrate 25th anniversary of KIFF in a big way. We want to make this festival like Cannes. I believe we can do it,” she said.
KIFF committee chairman and Tollywood actor Prasenjit Chatterjee said: “Contribution of Bengal to Indian film industry is enormous from actors to technicians to directors, music directors and singers.”
Bengali stalwart actor Soumitra Chatterjee said: “I want to remember our predecessors whose sacrifice and dedication have built our film industry because of which we are seeing 100 years of Bengali cinema.”
Speaking at the inauguration of the 24th Kolkata International Film Festival, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee added the KIFF was setting new standards with the people’s participation and urged the people to rise above barriers, stay united and to believe in unity “which is our core strength”.
“We will support organising every festival with equal enthusiasm. Durga Puja, Kali Puja and Diwali had just been celebrated across Bengal with enthusiasm. Chhath Puja, Jagadhatri Puja and Christmas are coming, and will be celebrated with equal enthusiasm by the people of the state,” Ms Banerjee told the 20,000-strong audience at Netaji Indoor Stadium here.
“Festivals bring light and hope in the lives of people and 2019 will be happier,” the Trinamool Congress chief said.
Recalling that the KIFF inaugural ceremony was formerly being held at state-run Nandan auditorium, Ms Banerjee also said some people had raised doubts when the venue was shifted to the present location. “Now, 20,000 people assemble at the Netaji Indoor Stadium for the KIFF inaugural ceremony every year and watch the inaugural film.”
“We showed things can be done if you want to,” she said, adding that the inauguration of the 25th KIFF next year might take place at the Salt Lake stadium to accommodate over a lakh people.
Turning to the dignitaries on the podium, including Bollywood big actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, she said, “We will seek guidance from Amit ji and Shah Rukh about how to hold the 25th edition of the KIFF in a grander way by including common people.”
In the category International Competition: Innovation in Moving Images, an eclectic range of 15 films are competing. The best film will get a prize money of Rs 51 lakh and a Golden Royal Bengal Tiger trophy. The director will receive Rs 21 lakh as prize money along with the trophy.
It is time for the annual treat for film lovers in the City of Joy as the 24th Kolkata International Film Festival has started.
In short the 24th edition of KIFF witnessed a star-studded inauguration at Netaji Indoor Stadium. The festival will run till November 17.
( with inputs from Indian agencies)
Pratyusha Mukherjee, Journalist, Kolkata
