The 55th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) kicked off in Goa on Wednesday (November 20). The event was attended by who’s who of the film industry including Manoj Bajpayee, Randeep Hooda, and Nagarjuna with the soon-to-be-married couple Naga Chaitanya And Sobhita Dhulipala. This year, IFFI is hosting an extensive tribute program to honour the 100th birth anniversaries of four Indian cinema legends: actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor, director Tapan Sinha, Telugu cinema star Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR), and singer Mohammed Rafi.
Nagarjuna attended the special event held in honour of his father Akkineni Nageswara Rao with his family. Talking about it, the actor said, “It was such a proud moment when I was informed that they were doing this. I could not believe that this was being done. My father’s 100th birthday is being celebrated all over the country and this is only because of I&B ministry, who took up this initiative. The National Archive of India restored his films. I don’t have the words to say thank you that is why our whole family is here rejoicing.”
Meanwhile, Manoj Bajpayee‘s film Despatch was screened at IFFI on (Thursday) November 21. Talking about the importance of film festivals, the actor said, “The important thing for me is that in India’s every big film festival, the people who come to watch the movies are either film students or people from the industry. These are the people who understand the craft. They want to take the cinema forward. Presenting my film to these people is a very big thing.”
Randeep Hooda, whose directorial debut Swatantrya Veer Savarkar was the opening film of the Indian Panorama at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2024, expressed his love and admiration for his wife, actress Lin Laishram. The couple got married in November last year. He said, “Meri patni Lin mere liye bhagyashali sabit huin hain. Wedding anniversary pat main chhuti lunga maine sabko bol diya hai. [My wife has been lucky for me. I will take a day off on my wedding anniversary (November 29).]