Megastar Amitabh Bachchan was present at the inaugural ceremony of the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) today, November 15. The actor shared an insightful speech on the history of cinema. Big B also talked about questions being raised on civil liberties and freedom of expression. Speaking at the ceremony, he said, “The festival (KIFF) has always celebrated the inclusive spirit of cinema beyond the confines of what Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore called ‘narrow domestic walls’. I salute you Kolkata for giving me my first job and giving Jaya her first film but most of all, I salute you for your artistic temperament that embraces the essence of plurality and equality. This is what makes Bengal so special."
Big B then went on to speak at length about the history of Indian cinema, the country’s freedom movement, pre-Independence films, communalism and more. He added, “Even now, I am sure my colleagues on stage will agree, questions are being raised on civil liberties and freedom of expression."
He further spoke about filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray and Rittwik Ghatak and the socio-political issues they portrayed through their films.
Before Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan had graced the stage and she royally trolled her superstar husband in Bengali. The inaugural ceremony took place at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata and saw several prominent names in attendance such as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Mahesh Bhatt, Shatrughan Sinha, Rani Mukerji, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Kumar Sanu and Arijit Singh among others.
Talking about the festival, a total of 183 films from 42 countries will be screened across 10 venues in Kolkata, which will continue till December 22. An exhibition on Satyajit Ray, talk shows and discussions on films, and workshops will also be held during the festival. Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Abhimaan (1973), starring the Bachchan couple in the lead roles, will be the inaugural film.
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