Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: The 52nd edition of the International Film Festival of India, a skilfully curated collection of the best of Indian and world cinema, got off to a colourful start with a star-studded and artistically inspiring opening ceremony, at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, in Panaji, Goa on November 20, 2021.
The opening ceremony saw the graceful presence of Governor of Goa Shri P S Sreedharan Pillai; Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur; Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant; and Union Minister of State, Information and Broadcasting, Shri L. Murugan. The galaxy of stars who infused creative vibrancy and artistic splendour to the opening ceremony included towering personalities of Indian cinema including Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh, Ritesh Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh and Shraddha Kapoor, amongst others.
Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh, Mouni Roy, Shraddha Kapoor brought the house down with their moves at the opening ceremony of IFFI 2021.
In yet another highlight, celebrated actor and two-time Member of Parliament Hema Malini has been presented the Indian Film Personality of the Year Award 2021.
Founded in 1952, the film festival is held annually to celebrate the excellence of world cinema. This year, it’s being held from November 20 to November 28. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, IFFI this year will be hybrid and festival delegates will have the option to participate and watch films and other events virtually, sitting in the comforts of their homes.
The festival is conducted jointly by the Directorate of Film Festivals (under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting) and the Entertainment Society of Goa, Government of Goa. The festival provides the perfect platform for understanding and appreciating the film cultures of different nations in the context of their social and cultural ethos. (With inputs from ANI)
