Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee poses for photos with a group of Tollywood actors during inauguration of 27th Kolkata International Film Festival 2022, in Kolkata, Monday, April 25, 2022. (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra)
Kolkata, April 25 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday inaugurated the 27th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) at Nazrul Manch here, and said that the film industry in the state might lack financial resources, but the movies made in Bengali are deeply rooted to the soil.
Banerjee also called upon the chief guest of the ceremony, Bollywood actor-turned-TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha to bring investments to the Bengali film industry, which churns out rich content .
"Bengali films are the best in world, deeply rooted to the soil here. The state is a storehouse of talents. Bollywood has money, people to invest... I appreciate that. I would request Shatrughan ji to help the Bengali film industry by bringing more investments," the CM said.
She also said Bengal is bestowed with scenic landscapes for film shoots.
"We have sea beaches, deep forests, wildlife like Royal Bengal Tiger. We also have state-of-the-art shooting complexes like Telly Academy near Kolkata, where international-level infrastructure is available for both fiction and non-fiction content," Banerjee said
She pointed out that cult films like 'Pather Panchali' and Meghe Dhaka Tara' got made here.
The CM asked Chief Secretary H K Dwivedi, who was present at the inaugural function, to include the film sector in next Bengal Global Business Summit, to be held in February 2023.
"It was an oversight on our part not to include the film industry in this year's highly successful BGBS. We need to make a pitch for our entertainment sector globally," she said.
She noted that "the sector creates employment opportunities for many people".
Talking about KIFF, which will be held in 10 state-run venues from April 25 to May 1, the CM said, "We have truly made it a global event."
Ruing that the last year's festival was not as grand as it was this year owing to COVID-related curbs, she stated that people couldn't be living in fear forever.
"We didn't want to deprive film buffs, members of the film fraternity of the opportunity to discuss, deliberate and think about cinema, she maintained.
The CM also underlined that KIFF, this year, organised special tribute sessions for auteur Satyajit Ray and film critic Chidananda Dasgupta on their birth centenary year.
She expressed grief over the demise of stalwarts such as Lata Mangeskar, Bappi Lahiri and Sandhya Mukherjee, recounting the conversations she had with each of them.
Listing out the initiatives being undertaken by her government, Banerjee said digitization and restoration of film classics and documentaries by renowned film makers were underway.
A cine museum is being built at the venue where the earlier Radha studio stood. The museum will house memorabilia of the Bengali film industry, she said.
The Technician's Studio has been renovated at a cost of Rs 34 crore, Banerjee added.
Shatrughan Sinha, who was the chief guest at the ceremony, was felicitated by film maker and Satyajit Ray's son Sandip Ray, on the occasion.
"I thank the people of Asansol for giving me the opportunity to serve democracy. I have to live up to the expectations of them and Mamata ji," he said, adding he will not make any political speech at a film festival.
Turning to Director Goutam Ghosh, who was present at the event, Sinha said "I call him my friend, philosopher and guide. Though I have done some 250 films, I rate 'Antarjali Yatra' (helmed by Ghosh) as an important film in my career."
Referring to his tryst with Bengal, he said, "I have always been an admirer of Satyajit Ray. Those who call me 'Mahan kalakar,' I tell them please reserve these words for Ray, Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak."
A rich bouquet of 163 films, including 47 from abroad, will be screened at 10 venues across the state from April 25 to May 1, Chairman Raj Chakraborty said.
The inaugural film Aranyer Din Ratri' was screened during the day, right after the ceremony.
Superstars Prasenjit Chatterjee, Dev, Parambrata Chatterjee, the CM's ministerial colleagues, TMC MLA from Ballygunge and singer Babul Supriyo were among those present at the event.
