22112024-LSTL-01.qxd 11/21/2024 11:50 PM Page 1 c m y b ‘BIWI NO.1’ ONCE MORE Starring Salman Khan and Karisma Kapoor, Biwi No. 1, originally released in 1999, will return to the theatres on November 29. On Thursday, producer Vashu Bhagnani shared the update, disclosing the re-release date of the hit film, which also starred Tabu, Sushmita Sen and Anil Kapoor. TRIBUNE Gratitude Amid her public spat with Dhanush, actress Nayanthara has now expressed her gratitude to Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan for giving her the footage from his production Jawan. LUDHIANA | FRIDAY | 22 NOVEMBER 2024 Of glitter & greycells ❝ THERE SHOULD BE ZERO TOLERANCE FOR GENDER INJUSTICE AT THE WORKPLACE. SOMEBODY WHO IS A PART OF THE TEAM, WHO HAS COME TO GIVE EVERYTHING TO THE FILM, MUST BE RESPECTED AT ALL TIMES. A grand ceremony, screening of Australian film Better Man and an insightful session on Women Safety and Cinema, the 55th edition of IFFI celebrates the creative minds of tomorrow Mona A FTER a glittering opening ceremony on Wednesday evening, the 55th International Film Festival of India began with a thought-provoking session — ‘Women Safety and Cinema’ — at Kala Academy, Panaji, on Thursday. Indian cinema stalwarts — Imtiaz Ali, Suhasini Maniratnam, Khushbu Sundar and Bhumi Pednekar — were joined by moderator Vani Tripathi Tikoo for an engaging talk. Casting couch to male gaze to portrayal of women in cinema came under scanner, including the revelations brought to light by Hema Committee report. While the panelists maintained the ‘fortunate’ stance — of having grown up in equal households — things got real rather soon. Khushbu candidly admitted to having taken the ‘glamour prop doll’ roles in the beginning of her career, but never compromising on her dignity. She recalled how a hero on a shoot once asked her if he had a ‘chance’. “I told him my chappal size is 41. Yahan par khani hai ya unit ke samne,” she said. Learning to say ‘no’ is of paramount importance, the panel members agreed. “When this incident happened, I didn’t know how it would affect my career but my dignity reigned supreme.” Along with her husband S Sunder, she is the leading film producer of Tamil cinema and shared how they were mindful of ensuring a fair portrayal of women in cinema. Bhumi Pednekar, the Bollywood diva, who burst on to the scene as the plus size heroine, admitted it was something she never imagined. “When I started I was like this woman who was largely — IMTIAZ ALI, DIRECTOR seen in a secondary position in cinema. For Yash Raj to have a heroine like that in Dum Laga Ke Haisha was a refreshing departure from the norm.” Growing up in liberal atmosphere, she found herself lucky to have had a safe and secure crew, “But the world I grew up in, and the gruesome mentality we are dealing with today is starkly different.” Imtiaz Ali, filmmaker known for giving Bollywood strong women characters, shared how his sense of society came from the family. “I did not grow up thinking men and women were equal, but for me women were always special and that reflects in my stories.” He narrated experiences about how on his sets actresses — be it Alia Bhatt in Highway, or Kareena Kapoor in Jab We Met — dealt with uncomfortable sceSANYA narios and the onus MALHOTRA of making them safe was on him and his crew, and they did fare quite well. Bursting the casting couch bubble, Imtiaz shared, “Those who compromise to get ahead in the film career also compromise their career on the way. As a maker, it’s important that I respect you before I cast you. Youngsters should be wary of surreptitious casting directors and there should be no tolerance policy for anyone who crosses the line.” Suhasini shared how during the beginning of her career, she saw an established hero show up for the shoot and change his scene after a long discussion, just to suit himself. “It was never the same for the heroine because she was supposed to be obedient. At 25, I realised if he could discuss so could I and I started arguing! Obedience is for home and school. Not for the sets — claim what’s rightfully yours,” she said. ❝ GALA EVENT DIRECTING SWATANTRYA VEER SAVARKAR WAS QUITE CHALLENGING. HOWEVER, CURRENTLY, I AM FOCUSED ON WORKING ON TWO OR THREE FILMS AS AN ACTOR...I AM ALSO WRITING AN ACTION FILM. ■ IFFI commenced with the screening of renowned Australian filmmaker Michael Gracey’s feature film Better Man on Wednesday. Later, some of the brightest stars were felicitated in the presence of cinephiles at the gala opening ceremony at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Panaji. Casting directors-turned actors Abhishek Banerjee and Bhumi Pednekar turned hosts of the evening, while film stalwarts Subhash Ghai, Boman Irani, Jaideep Ahlawat, Nagarjuna, Randeep Hooda and Rajkummar Rao, among others, were felicitated. — RANDEEP HOODA, ACTOR GOA CM PRAMOD SAWANT WITH RANDEEP HOODA ❝ ■ IFFI I BEGGED EVERYBODY TO CELEBRATE, NOT JUST FILMMAKERS BUT AUDIENCES. STOP THE FIGHTS EVERYWHERE, THE MISSILES; THE ONLY WAY IT CAN STOP IS WHEN EACH ONE OF US GETS TOGETHER AND TELLS OUR STORIES. this year will pay homage to the extraordinary legacy of Raj Kapoor, Tapan Sinha, Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR) and Mohammed Rafi through a series of tributes. The 55th edition of IFFI, with its ‘Creative Minds of Tomorrow’ initiative, embraces the potential of young filmmakers through its theme, ‘Young Filmmakers: The Future is Now’. IFFI 2024 will present over 180 international films from 81 countries, including 16 world premieres, three international premieres, 43 Asian premieres and 109 Indian premiers. — SHEKHAR KAPOOR, FILMMAKER NAGARJUNA AND SHEKHAR KAPUR ❝ WAVES OTT IS HERE I HAD THE FORTUNE OF WORKING WITH ACTORS, FILMMAKERS AND PRODUCERS WHO CREATED A VERY SAFE ENVIRONMENT AROUND ME. I HOPE TO DO THE SAME WITHIN MY ECOSYSTEM — THAT’S THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN BRING ABOUT CHANGE. ■ — BHUMI PEDNEKAR, ACTRESS ACTRESS MANUSHI CHHILLAR AT THE OPENING CEREMONY c m y b BHUMI PEDNEKAR AND ABHISHEK BANERJEE Chief Minister of Goa Pramod Sawant also launched Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, WAVES OTT, during the opening ceremony. This platform offers a rich mix of classic content and contemporary programmes. With a library featuring timeless shows like Ramayan, Mahabharat, Shaktimaan and Hum Log, the platform appeals to audiences looking for cultural and emotional connections with India’s past.