Mamata Banerjee on why Amitabh Bachchan skipped KIFF: ‘He is suffering a lot since last night’

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee gave an update on Amitabh Bachchan’s health and revealed the reason why he had to skip the Kolkata International Film Festival’s inauguration.

Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan is indisposed since Thursday night and in a lot of discomfort. He had to cancel his scheduled presence in Kolkata on Friday to inaugurate the 25th Kolkata International Film Festival, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday.

Amitabh Bachchan was supposed to inaugurate Kolkata International Film Festival.

“Amitabhji comes here every time. But he could not turn up. Since last night he is unwell. So doctors have restricted his movements. He is suffering a lot since last night,” Banerjee said at the inauguration programme. Bollywood star Shah Rukh opened the festival in Amitabh’s absence.

Banerjee said he got a message from Bachchan early on Friday morning informing her about his indisposition. “He contacted me, Jaya ji (Jaya Bachchan) also. .. We pray for his long life and good health.

“Today though he could not come, I believe Amitji’s mind is with this festival. We cannot think of this film festival without him,” she said.

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan (C-R) lights up the traditional lamp as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee (2L) looks on during the inauguration of the 25th Kolkata International Film Festival in Kolkata . (AFP)

Flanked by yesteryear’s top heroine Rakhi Gulzar and other Shah Rukh lit the ceremonial lamp to wild cheers from the audience, who later enjoyed every bit of the opening film - Satyajit Ray’s children’s classic Goopy Gayen Bagha Bayen, which is celebrating its 50th year. Germany’s Oscar winning director Volker Schlondorff, Sex, Lies and Videotape actor Andie MacDowell, Slovak film maker Dusan Hanak graced the occasion, alongside Bollywood auteur Mahesh Bhatt, and BCCI President and former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly were among those who graced the function.

SRK, in his speech, described the 25th year of the festival as an important landmark. “The 25th year is an important landmark, an important milestone for cinema not only in Bengal, but to the rest of our country because some of the greatest cinema, some of the defining cinema of India comes from Bengal and Kolkata,” he said.

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