06 December,2023 09:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Pic Courtesy/IMDB
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remembered superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan at the inaugural ceremony of the 29th Kolkata International Film Festival as they gave it a miss.
As the festival kicked off on December 5, Banerjee said that the absence of both actors was deeply felt this year. She shared that Big B couldn't come because of health reasons, while SRK is busy with his daughter, Suhana Khan's 'The Archies' film promotion.
The West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, also emphasised the strong bond between Tollywood and Bollywood, highlighting the love and friendship shared between the two industries.
On Tuesday, superstars Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Shatrughan Sinha, Sonakshi Sinha, Mahesh Bhatt, and Sourav Ganguly attended the opening ceremony of the film festival at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in the City of Joy.
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The current edition is slated to run until December 12 and will showcase 219 films from 39 countries across 23 venues in Kolkata. Among them, 72 are feature films, and 50 are short films and documentaries.
Tuesday's ceremony began with a special performance by a group of artists. The guests also did not leave a chance to enthral the audience as they grooved to the festival's theme song along with Mamata Banerjee. Salman, like always, stole everyone's attention with his Dabangg hook step.
Speaking on the occasion, Anil Kapoor said, "Kolkata, for me, is not just a city. It's a sensory experience. A journey and a treasure trove of memories have shaped my career and love for cinema."
He also remembered Satyajit Ray's renowned film Nayak (1966), starring Uttam.
"Uttam Kumar is a mahanayak," Anil added.
The Kolkata Film Festival was organised for the first time in 1995. But it was opened to the public in 2011.
Amitabh Bachchan and the whole Bachchan family showered down on the premiere of 'The Archies'. Shah Rukh Khan, Gauri, AbRam, and Aryan were all present at the venue to lend their support to their loving family. Agastya Nanda and Suhana Khan are debuting with Zoya Akhtar's project 'The Archies'. The project is already garnering lots of buzz. The musical is slated for its release on December 7.
(With inputs from ANI)
