Veteran Hollywood actor Michael Douglas will be honoured with the prestigious Satyajit Ray Excellence in Film Lifetime Award at the International Film Festival of India, scheduled to take place in Panjim, Goa from November 20 to 28 this year. Information & Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur made the announcement on Friday. (Also Read: Michael Douglas wants to visit Hyderabad, Goa on next India trip with Catherine Zeta-Jones: We haven’t been to the south)
Anurag Thakur's announcement
The I&B Minister took to X (formerly Twitter) on Friday and wrote, “I'm delighted to announce that Michael Douglas, the distinguished Hollywood Actor and Producer, will be honoured with the prestigious Satyajit Ray Excellence in Film Lifetime Award at the 54th International Film Festival Goa. His deep love for our country, 🇮🇳, is well known, and we look forward to welcome him, Catherine Zeta Jones and their son, to the most prominent Film Festival in South Asia to showcase our rich cinematic culture and unique traditions at #IFFI54!! A heartfelt welcome to Bharat and @IFFIGoa (namaste emoji).”
Michael was, in fact, invited to IFFI earlier this year when he visited the Indian Pavillion at the Cannes Film Festival. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan invited him by saying then, “We are conducting our film festival in Goa from November 20 to November 28. This is the 54th edition, I’m welcoming you. I expect your visit and presence along with your entire family to our festival. We will bring our traditions, culture, diversity, languages and food culture to Goa.”
Michael Douglas and India
{{/usCountry}}Michael was, in fact, invited to IFFI earlier this year when he visited the Indian Pavillion at the Cannes Film Festival. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan invited him by saying then, “We are conducting our film festival in Goa from November 20 to November 28. This is the 54th edition, I’m welcoming you. I expect your visit and presence along with your entire family to our festival. We will bring our traditions, culture, diversity, languages and food culture to Goa.”
Michael Douglas and India
{{/usCountry}}Michael, 79, and his wife and actor Catherine Zeta-Jones, 54, are seen visiting and travelling around India frequently. Michael said at the Cannes Film Festival that he and Catherine would like to explore South India on their next trip.
Michael was supposed to do a film with Shailendra Singh, titled Racing the Monsoon, set in India. But the film fell through owing to logistical reasons. However, he and Catherine appeared in Shailendra's documentary Unplugged in Mumbai last year.
Michael was last seen in Peyton Reed's Marvel film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania this year. He will next star in Roberto Sneider's Blood Knot, in which he will share the screen space with his son, Cameron Douglas.