The 39th Moscow International Film Festival is showcasing a specific section dedicated to the Indian cinema. The Indian Panorama has been jointly curated by Captain Rahul Bali and R.C. Dalal and organised by the Indian Film Festival Worldwide. At a recent curtain raiser organised at the Embassy of Russian Federation, Anatoly Kargapolov, acting Ambassador said, “This year we are celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations between India and Russia and this is a great opportunity to showcase our friendship beyond politics.”
The Moscow International Film Festival is one of the oldest film festivals in the world, and this is the first time a specific showcase consisting of Indian movies will be screened. The Indian Panorama is supposed to be a symbol of exemplary friendship and bilateral relations between India and Russia and will feature some of the finest movies such as A Death in Gunj , Kothanodi and Baahubali: The Beginning . Baahubali-2 opened the film festival, on till 29th June, and will see the likes of S.S. Rajamouli and Gulshan Grover representing the Indian film fraternity. “We did not want to show only Hindi movies. There are six movies in six different languages. We are trying to spread the fragrance of India, beyond just Hindi Cinema,” said Captain Bali, the co-curator of Indian Panorama. In addition to movies, they will also display various aspects of the Indian culture through food, clothes, handicrafts, etc.
The Indian Panorama will be opened with the screening of Bad Man , India’s first mockumentary feature film starring Gulshan Grover with Rishi Kapoor and Mahesh Bhatt in guest appearance. Talking about the unique concept of the movie, Grover said, “It is part of the progressive new cinema, everyone plays themselves and at the same time its interestingly created fictional scenes take the story forward. I’m sure the Russian audience will enjoy seeing the Indian shooting studios and settings, since the movie is set primarily in the heart of Bollywood. It is crazy and quirky.”
Cultural ties
This showcase is one of the first in a series of cultural events organised by the Embassy of Russian Federation to celebrate the continuing bilateral ties between India and Russia. “The Russian population is not alien to Indian movies. Songs like ‘Joota hai Japani’ and ‘Jimmy Jimmy’ are heard across the country,” says Kargapolov. It is also an attempt to open up more opportunities for collaboration between the two film fraternities and introduce the Russian audience to modern Indian cinema. As Dalal stated, “It will set new standards, a stage for the Indian film industry to explore new opportunities.”
