Throwing open the Indian Panorama at the 48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) noted Bollywood actress and Padma Shri awardee of 2013, Sridevi stated that it was her honour to be present at one of the most prestigious film festival of Asia, IFFI 2017.
The actress of outstanding personality, known for her path-breaking performances felicitated the jury members before announcing the opening of the Indian Panorama in the presence of the vice-chairman of Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) and a noted film maker from Goa Rajendra Talak, Festival Director Sunit Tandon and Jury Chairperson Sujoy Ghosh, a national award winning writer, director and screenwriter.
Welcoming all to the 48th International Film Festival of India, the festival director Sunit Tandon hoped that it proves an enjoyable and enriching experience for those who attend and participate in it. Pointing out that the Indian Panorama section is a major highlight of IFFI, Tandon mentioned that this year films of varied genres from various regions of India will be screened before the audience. A total of 178 features and 161 non-features were received as entries, out of which 26 feature and non-feature films in 24 languages were selected by the jury, briefed Tandon. There are feature films of accomplished directors as well as that of debut young filmmakers. The non-feature films selected represent the cultural and aesthetic flavours of different parts of our country, making every film special, he said.
Among those who were felicitated were film editor and screenwriter Apurva Asrani, film maker, writer and actor Gopi Desai, writer, director and producer Gyan Correa, film director and producer Hari Vishwanath, actor and singer Merlvin Mukhim, film producer, director and screenwriter Nikhil Advani, filmmaker Nishikant Kamat, director turned filmmaker Rahul Rawail who worked with Raj Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor as assistant director, multi-award winner film-maker Ruchi Narain who won award as writer for the political love story Hazaaron Khwahishein Aisi, film critic Sachin Chatte who has been writing about cinema for over 23 years and director and screenplay writer Suresh Heblikar who is also an actor, director and environmentalist. Renowned filmmaker and director Sudhir Mishra, who chairs the non-feature film jury stole the show.
After the felicitation the screening of opening films Pihu (feature film) and Pushkar Puran (non-feature film) was held at Inox Screen II.
