At the 52nd installment of the International Film Festival of India, veteran actor Hema Malini received the Indian Film Personality of the Year 2021 Award. The festival began on Saturday in Goa and will run from November 20 to November 28. The Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Panaji, Goa, hosted the inauguration ceremony. The CBFC Chairman, lyricist Prasoon Joshi, will also be honored with the Indian Film Personality of the Year Award on the festival’s final day.
The film festival’s opening ceremony was also joined by movie director Karan Johar and action star Salman Khan. In a video tweeted by the Press Information Bureau, Karan, who is co-hosting, asks Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur to recollect his favourite movie dialogue.
He refers to Shah Rukh Khan’s 2007 film Chak De! India, saying: “Mujhe states ke naam na dikhai dete hai… sirf ek mulk ka naam sunai deta hai India (I could only hear the name of one thing, that is our country, India, and not the names of individual states.)” The dialogue was primarily delivered by Shah Rukh in the film. The dialogue had gained widespread popularity back then and it still continues to be one of the most patriotic lines. Maniesh Paul will also co-host the IFFI launch event.
The film festival is co-organized by the Directorate of Film Festivals (Ministry of Information and Broadcasting) and the Entertainment Society of Goa, both of which are part of the Goa government. Over 300 films from around the world will be shown at the festival. In the International Section, IFFI will display 148 films from 73 countries, including 12 world premieres, 7 international premieres, 26 Asia premieres, and 64 India premieres.
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic, IFFI will be a combination festival this year, with representatives having the choice to partake and watch movies and other occurrences virtually from the solace of their own residences.