Deadlock over venue for IFFI's opening ceremony continues

With just five days remaining for the grand opening, the deadlock over the venue for the opening ceremony and logistics associated with it remained.

Panaji, Nov 24 (PTI) With just five days remaining for the grand opening of the International Film Festival of India here, the deadlock over the venue for the opening ceremony and logistics associated with it remained.

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The opening ceremony was initially touted by the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) as a musical extravaganza featuring music maestro A R Rahman and is to be held in a closed auditorium at the Kala Academy, which is the main venue for the festival.

However, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar differed with DFF officials on Monday and insisted that at least Rahman's performance should be shifted to an open ground where the public could watch the gala event.

Meanwhile, government sources told PTI that DFF officials were reluctant to agree to the proposal, saying it would be logistically difficult.

"It would be difficult to hold the initial part of the ceremony in the auditorium, then shift to the open venue for Rahman's performance and then back in again for the opening film of the festival--Mira Nair's `Vanity Fair', DFF sources said.

Several other solutions were still being worked out so as to suit both parties. One such solution was that both the opening ceremony and the music act should be held outdoors and the movie could then be screened indoors, they added.