What if Bollywood biggies didn't really storm the 33rd International Film Festival of India? Sure, Rani Mukherjee and Aishwarya Rai did grace the evening at the inaugural function. But others generally stayed away.
There were others to lend sparkle to the event.
Seen on 8th evening was talented actress Mita Vashisht. Her husband's film in Bengali Ekti Nadir Naam is part of the Indian Panorama section. Also present was Southern siren Nagma whose supposedly torrid affair with Indian Cricket captain Sourabh Ganguly was the talk of the town sometime back. Dressed in a peach coloured dress, one would nearly have missed the actress had it not been for the security around. A second look was a must to recognise the much-painted familiar face.
At the Food Court in the Siri Fort complex many a celebrities can be seen now. Rita Bhaduri, a committed 'good cinema' watcher and faithful Festival visitor was present. Also there was theatre person and actor K. K. Raina.
For the screening of Iranian Film, Issa Is Coming, Nandita Das along with her brother Siddharth were the important spectators. Nandita too should be a very pleased person what with two of her films featuring prominently in the Indian Panorama section. These were Mrinal Sen directed Aamaar Bhuvan and Mani Ratnam directed Kannathil Muthamittal.
At the start of the festival, there was much speculation about Sanjay Leela Bhansali's and Shahrukh Khan's scheduled visit for the screening of their Devdas. But now, it is almost certain the duo would not be coming to Delhi.
Russian filmmaker gets the Golden Peacock
To many this bit must have come as a sheer surprise, but the news is South Indian star of the 80's and 90's Revathy has bagged the Special Jury award for her first directorial debut, Mitr, My Friend. She shares this award with Egyptian director Magdi Ahmed Ali's film Asrar el Banat (Girls' Secret).
For the screening of Iranian Film, Issa Is Coming, Nandita Das along with her brother Siddharth were the important spectators. Nandita too should be a very pleased person what with two of her films featuring prominently in the Indian Panorama section. These were Mrinal Sen directed Aamaar Bhuvan and Mani Ratnam directed Kannathil Muthamittal.
At the start of the festival, there was much speculation about Sanjay Leela Bhansali's and Shahrukh Khan's scheduled visit for the screening of their Devdas. But now, it is almost certain the duo would not be coming to Delhi.
Russian filmmaker gets the Golden Peacock
To many this bit must have come as a sheer surprise, but the news is South Indian star of the 80's and 90's Revathy has bagged the Special Jury award for her first directorial debut, Mitr, My Friend. She shares this award with Egyptian director Magdi Ahmed Ali's film Asrar el Banat (Girls' Secret).
Igor Maslenikov's Russian film Letters to Elza was adjudged the best film by an Asian director. Golden Peacock winner Maslenikov gets a cash award worth Rs 5 lakhs. It is story of a woman and her hardships in life after the death of her husband.
The Most Promising Director award went to Iranian director Reza Mir-Karimi for his film, Under the Moonlight.
The five-member jury was headed by celebrated Indian filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta. Other members of the jury were Yves Thoraval of France, Kim Dong Ho of South Korea, Kianoosh Ayyari of Iran and Kalpana Lajmi of India. There were 14 films from 11 countries in competition, including two each from India, Iran and Japan. The other countries represented in the competition were Israel, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Japan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and China.