Indian Film Festival 2013 a great success
Vidya Balan, Prabhu Deva answer some questions
Pamela Chopra – Yash Chopra’s wife as the chief gust at IFF 2013
Simi Grewal and Vidya Balan
By Manju Mittal
Indian Film Festival (IFF) organised by Mind Blowing films and Victorian government was held on May 3 – 22, 2013 which kicked off with a press conference of bollywood stars at ANZ Tower in Melbourne. Festival highlights included opening night and Bollywood Dance Competition at Federation Square. the line up of films during the 20 day festival included an opening night 100 -year old silent film ‘Raja Harish Chandra’ and the colour version of ‘Mughal-E-Azam’, Bombay Talkies, Sholay, Talaash and many newbies.
Bollywood guest line-up included impressive MIIFF Ambassador Vidya Balan, Pamela Chopra – Film Doyenne late Yash chopra’s wife, Prabhu Deva, Farah Khan, Simi Garewal, Kabir Khan and Girish Kumar. As Indian Cinema is celebrating 100 of Bollywood, I was glad to see that India is getting a lot of recognition and Indian cinema has come a long way and making a tremendous impact internationally. I feel Indian cinema has identity which is unique and unmatched.
Press Conference started with IFFM Festival director Mitu Bhowmick Lange speech. Said Mitu, “This year we celebrate the 100th birthday of Indian cinema and are grateful to the Victorian Government for their support.”
Mitu Bhowmick welcomed festival ambassador Vidya Balan as she said, “I am truly honoured to be back for another film festival of Melbourneand I am lucky to have the opportunity to help promote Indian Cinema in Melbourne which has become my second home.”
Conference was well coordinated at a great venue. It gave an opportunity to ask and listen to the directors, actors, dancers and choreographers in one go. They divulged the inner workings of cinema to all the curious media persons who travelled from all over Australia.
IFFl opening night highlights was the celebration as directors, actors, choreographers came up on stage before the screening for the Q&A session, which was great as they watched the opening night movie with the audience. To have them answer questions from up close was quite impressive than otherwise seeing the actors on screen. Celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema the Film Festival honoured Yash Chopra for his constant support to the festival. The award and honour received by late Yash Chopra ”˜s wife Pamela Chopra. Pamela Chopra wooed the us all when she sang two lines of a beautiful song from the romantic movie Veer Zara . The first Indian silent film Raja Harishchandra that was screened at the festival opening night was amazing to watch how 100 years old film could be so mesmerising even today.
It was worth watching Telstra Bollywood Dance Competition at Federation Square which was judged by Bollywood’s most famous choreographer Farah Khan, dancer and choreographer Prabhu Deva, director Kabir Khan, actor Girish Kumar and producer, writer, designer Pamela Chopra. Local dance groups performed dances that impressed the judges on the bollywood talent developing in Melbourne. Shamat Dance Group was the winner of the night. Prabhu Deva dazzled the crowd with his brilliant dance moves on his super hit song Mukabala while Farah Khan joined in and demonstrated her dance moves. Overall it was a great success. Festival director Mitu Bhowmick has been a great force behind the festival with Mind Blowing Films attracting an impressive line-up of Bollywood stars who with their presence give us all curious ones a glimpse of the most famous film industry in the world today.
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