Delhi film festival to honour Sharmila Tagore, pay tributes to Dharmendra

A total of 125 Indian and international films will be selected from the entries and screened during the seven-day festival, strating from March 25, at Bharat Mandapam

Veteran actor Sharmila Tagore will be felicitated at the International Film Festival of Delhi (IFFD), while tributes will be paid to late actor Dharmendra, officials said on Friday.

Veteran actor Sharmila Tagore will be felicitated at the International Film Festival of Delhi (IFFD). (HT Archive)

The week-long festival will begin on March 25 at Bharat Mandapam. More than 2,100 films have been received as entries for the festival, including over 1,300 from other countries. “This is going to be one of the biggest film festivals of the country,” said an official.

A total of 125 Indian and international films will be selected from the entries and screened during the seven-day festival, the official said, adding that some Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated entries will also be featured.

Three screening committees are currently reviewing the submissions, and the list of shortlisted films will be announced soon, officials said.

HT had earlier reported that the festival is also likely to pay tribute to noted actor Guru Dutt and director K Balachander, he added.

Events related to the festival, including film screenings, will be held at theatres, auditoriums and other public venues across the city, officials said. However, masterclasses, roundtables, interactive sessions and discussions will be organised at Bharat Mandapam as it is centrally located, an official added.

Several Bollywood stars are also likely to participate in the events, he said.

Another highlight of the festival will be “Her Lens: Women in Films at IFFD”, a special programme designed to spotlight women filmmakers. The programme will be a collaboration between Academy Award-winning producer Guneet Monga and the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC).

The festival’s logo was unveiled last month by Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta at an event organised by DTTDC.

Gupta said the festival aims to position Delhi as a global hub of cinema, art and culture while remaining a public, citywide celebration rather than a closed industry event.