Rajinikanth to be honoured at IFFI 2025
Legendary actor Rajinikanth will be honoured at the closing ceremony for completing 50 years in cinema at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) which kicks-off in Goa on November 20 with a strong focus on innovation, inclusivity, and international collaboration.
This year’s edition will introduce two new initiatives—the first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Film Festival and a Hackathon—aimed at exploring the growing link amid cinema and technology. at
Centenary tributes will be paid to filmmakers Guru Dutt, Raj Khosla, Ritwik Ghatak, P. Bhanumathi, Bhupen Hazarika, and Salil Chowdhury, with screenings of Musafir, Subarnarekha, and a restored Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani.
Notedly, the festival will also host 21 masterclasses and panels featuring Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Aamir Khan, Anupam Kher, Ravi Varman, Suhasini Maniratnam, Sreekar Prasad, and others, covering topics from editing and acting in the digital era to sustainability in film.
More than 240 films from 81 countries will be screened during the nine-day festival. The line-up includes 13 world premieres, four international premieres, and 46 Asian premieres. Over 50 women directors have their films featured this year, highlighting the government’s efforts to promote Nari Shakti in cinema.
In a break from tradition, there will be no formal inauguration ceremony. Instead, a grand parade through Panaji will mark the opening, featuring tableaux from leading production houses, state governments, and cultural troupes from across the country.
According to Ajay Nagabhushan,Joint Secretary (Films) in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting the festival had received a record 2,314 submissions from 127 countries. Adding that this shows IFFI’s escalating prominence on the global festival circuit.
At a curtain raiser
In New Delhi L Murugan Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting announced that OTT awards would continue this year to honour excellence in web and streaming content. He said steps were being taken to strengthen anti-piracy laws and simplify film certification. The Central Board of Film Certification’s upcoming Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat certificate for multi-language films would promote India’s cultural unity.
As per Sanjay Jaju Secretary Indian cinema continued to make a strong impact overseas. He noted that Indian films are outperforming Hollywood releases at the Australian box office.Festival Director Shekhar Kapur said India remained both the world’s largest film-making and film-watching nation. Adding that Storytelling builds understanding and peace across cultures and the Film Bazaar is a movement empowering young creators through technology.
News Edit KV Raman
