Kolkata International Film Festival 2018 was inaugurated in the presence of eminent personalities like Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee, Mahesh Bhatt, Srikanta Mohta, Srabanti, Majid Majidi, Simon Baker, Kaushik Ganguly and others.

The event began with the beating of the dhaak and by blowing on the conch shells-all highly synonymous with Bangaliana. Bengali films will be completing hundred years this year. A special musical tribute was organized at the beginning of the event. Ustad Rashid Khan, Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, Bickram Ghosh, Lopamudra, Rupankar, Usha Uthup performed at the musical event.

Dev welcomed Amitabh Bachchan. Mimi Chakraborty felicitated Shahrukh Khan. Prosenjit meanwhile felicitated Soumitra Chatterjee and Koel felicitated Waheeda Rahman.

Speaking at the event, Amitabh Bachchan said “I have asked Didi not to invite me anymore as I have nothing new to say. But she invites me and I have to come to the ceremony. I am requesting her not to invite me anymore”.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee replied to this comment by stating that next year the film festival will be completing twenty five years. Hence the presence of Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan is very vital for the success of the film festival. She asked for their co-operation and also welcomed ideas from them.

Waheeda Rahman went down nostalgia lane and mentioned that she had shot for the film Piyasa in Kolkata. She even remembered Satyajit Ray in her speech.

Big B in his speech also mentioned many veteran directors like Satyajit Ray, Hrishikesh Mukhopadhyay and others. He also stressed on the great work done by the technicians.

Antony Firingee was the inaugural film at the festival. However controversy has been sparked at the inaugural event as the trailer of SRK’s film Zero was shown before the inaugural film. Many people are now questioning as to how Shahrukh Khan who is a respectable actor can do such a thing as to request the trailer of his film to be shown at such a platform. Whatever may be the case, the film festival this year will indeed be very interesting.

With the inauguration of the film festival, Kolkata is surely in the mood for seven days of filmy celebrations.

Priyanka Dutta