Pune : Renowned radio announcer Ameen Sayani, director-actor Gautam Ghose, and renowned dancer-actress Leela Gandhi will be felicitated with the ‘PIFF Distinguished Award’, for their contribution to the Indian cinema, while music arranger, singer and lyricist M. M. Keeravani will be felicitated with the S. D. Burman Award for his contribution in the field of music, announced Dr. Jabbar Patel, director of the Festival.
The Inauguration Ceremony of ‘Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) 2024’ will be held at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch on January 18 at 5:00 p.m. and after the opening ceremony, the opening film ‘A Brighter Tomorrow’ (from Italy, director – Nani Moretti) will be shown, while the film ‘Kidnapped’ (from Italy, director – Marco Bellocchio) will conclude the festival (closing film) on January 25, 2024.
Dr Patel while explaining the program of this year’s PIFF added that this year marks the birth centenary of evergreen actor Dev Anand (26 September 1923), singer Mukesh (22 July 1923), director Mrinal Sen (14 May 1923), famous actor-director NTR (28 May 1923), music director Salil Chaudhary (19 November 1923) and all of these artists would be celebrated by the PIFF.
The name of the international jury of the festival was also announced on this occasion. These include Petr Zelenka (Czech Republic – playwright and director), Shai Goldman (Israel – cinematographer and producer), Sudhir Mishra (India – film director and screenwriter), Manju Borah (India – film director and writer, Setareh Eskandari (Iran – Actress), Ümran Safter (Turkey – film director and producer), Sue Prado. (Philippines – Actress), VisakesaChandrasekaram (Sri Lanka – Film director, writer, novelist, dramatist, songwriter).
It was further announced that Vikas kharge, Avinash Dhakne, Jhanu Barua, Shai Goldman, Manoj Bajpayee will hold master classes on various topics in this festival. There will be a seminar on ‘In Search of New Marathi Cinema’ in which Nikhil Mahajan, Varun Narvekar, Ritesh Deshmukh, Mangesh Desai and Sanjay Krushnaji Patil will participate. Also dignitaries like Dr. Saibal Chatterjee, Beena Paul, Edvinas Pukasta will participate in the seminar on the future and importance of film festivals.
Pune International Film Festival (PIF) 2024 will be held from January 18 to 25. Movies from around world will be shown on a total of 11 screens at three locations: PVR Icon (6 screens) at Pavilion Mall on Senapati Bapat Road, Inox (3 screens) at Camp area and Cinepolis Cinemas at Westend Mall (2 screens) in Aundh area.
The online registration process for the festival has started on the official website of the festival www.piffindia.com and the spot registration process has also started at the theatres. The registration fee for the entire festival is just Rs. 800.
Ameen Sayani
Ameen Sayani is a popular former radio announcer. He achieved fame and popularity all across the Indian Subcontinent when he presented his Binaca Geetmala program of hits over the airwaves of Radio Ceylon. Later, he helped popularise All India Radio in India. He is one of the most imitated announcers even today. His style of addressing the crowd with “Behno aur Bhaiyo ” (meaning “sisters and brothers”) as against the traditional “Bhaiyo aur Bahno” is still treated as an announcement with a melodious touch. He has produced, compered (or spoken for) over 54,000 radio programmes and 19,000 spots/jingles since 1951.
Sayani assisted his mother, Kulsum Sayani, in editing, publishing and printing a fortnightly journal RAHBER (1940 to 1960) for neo-literates, under the instructions of Mahatma Gandhi.
Leela Gandhi
Leela Gandhi, who started her career as a choreographer in 1951, made her dance debut in Master Bhagwan’s films ‘Rangila’ (1953), ‘Hallagulla’ (1954) and ‘Bhala Aadmi’ (1958). She danced with Helen in the movie ‘Bus Conductor’. She danced on the song ‘IshkachyaRangaat Vare Bhare Angat’ in Raja Thakur’s program ‘Reshma ChhaGathi’. After that, her dance performance in ‘Pritisangam’ (1957) became popular.
She choreographed several films starting from ‘Sangtye Aika’ (1959), while she was the co-star of the film ‘Kela Ishara JataJata’ (1965). Along with films, her theatrical journey was also going on. She has worked in 75 films and 25 plays.
Gautam Ghose
Gautam Ghose is a renowned film director, actor, music director and cinematographer who has won several national awards. He works primarily in Bengali cinema. He received the “Vittorio de Sica” award from Italy in 1997 and is the only Indian to receive this award. In 2012, the Government of West Bengal honored him with the Banga Bibhushan for lifetime achievement. Acknowledging his contributions to film, he was awarded the Knighthood of the Star of the Italian Solidarity in July 2006. His most successful films were Padma Nadir Majhi, Kaalbela and Moner Manush.
M. M. Keeravani
M. M. Kreem is a music composer, record producer, singer and lyricist, who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. His accolades include, eleven Nandi Awards, eight Filmfare Awards, two National Film Awards, an Academy (Oscar) Award, a Golden Globe Award, a LAFCA Award and a Critics’ Choice Movie Award. In 2023, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri for his contributions towards Indian cinema.
Keeravani also worked for a few Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam films. He is best known for his compositions in works such as KshanaKshanam (1991), Gharana Mogudu (1992), Allari Priyudu (1993), Criminal (1994), Subha Sankalpam (1995), Pelli Sandadi (1996), Devaraagam (1996), Annamayya (1997), Zakhm (1998), Student No.1 (2001), Jism (2003), Paheli (2005), Sri Ramadasu (2006), Magadheera (2009), Eega (2012), Baahubali (2015 and 2017), and RRR (2022). Most of his compositions were brought to life by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and K. S. Chithra.
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