Team Herald
PANJIM: After two years of Covid-19 pandemic, the curtains of the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) opened to a glittering start at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Taleigao on Sunday.
The IFFI was first started in Goa 2004 and since it was made a permanent venue the festival entered 18th year in the State.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur said that his vision is to make India the most sought after destination for film shoots and post production backed by the talent of our people and innovation of our industry leaders.
“My vision for IFFI is not limited to one event, but what IFFI should be when India celebrates its 100th year of Independence once we transition from Amrit Mahotsav to Amrit Kaal! We aim to make India a powerhouse of content creation, especially regional cinema by scaling up regional festivals,” he elaborated.
Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L Murugan said that post Covid-19, the 53rd edition of IFFI will be back to its vibrant festival avatar. “IFFI has been erasing boundaries in the world of art and film and allowing different film cultures to engage with each other and explore possibilities to collaborate. IFFI 53 has everything that a movie lover wants - 75 Creative Young Minds, Master classes, Box office flavour, Film Bazaar, and global cinema”, he added.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that setting up of world class Convention Centre and multiplex in Goa is at its final stage and hopefully we will be able to celebrate IFFI at the new venue by 2025. Mentioning the efforts to add a local flavour to festival, Sawant said that this year at IFFI, the State government has taken an initiative to curate special master classes for Goan film fraternity in which renowned film personalities from Hindi and Marathi film sections will participate.
A Goan section has also been specially curated for this year, he said adding that the film culture is strengthening its roots in the State and some Goan youngsters have started making their films also on OTT platform. He called upon film producers and investors to come forth and invest to scale up film related infrastructure for which the government is committed to provide necessary assistance.
In his welcome address, Apurva Chandra, Secretary Ministry of I&B said that IFFI is a platform for Indian film industry to showcase its best before the world and to invite the best practices in cinema from the rest of the world.
Megastar Chiranjeevi presented IFFI 53 Film Personality of the Year Award
PANJIM: Megastar and actor-producer Chiranjeevi Konidela was presented the IFFI Indian Film Personality of the Year Award for 2022, for his contribution to cinema, popular culture and socially significant artistic work.
In an illustrious film career spanning more than four decades, Chiranjeevi starred in more than 150 feature films in Telugu, as well as some films in Hindi, Tamil and Kannada. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential actors of Telugu cinema.
Chiranjeevi captured the imagination of the masses with his performance in Initlo Ramayya Veedilo Krishnayya in 1982. He is admired for his zestful dance performances and fight sequences brimming with power. His influence has claimed him the title of a Megastar!
In 2006, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, for his contributions to Indian cinema.
He is the 10th film luminary to be honoured with this award.