Indian films, filmstars a hit at Kara film festival

New Delhi, Dec 19: It was the latest example of oneness of people in India and Pakistan, notwithstanding the political bitterness between the two neighbouring countries! For the fourth year in succession, Indian films and stars from the tinsel town of Bollywood drew a "more than enthusiastic" response at the Kara Film Festival in Karachi.

Amid presence of films from several countries across the world like Bangladesh, Iran, Spain, Germany, France, USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Sri Lanka and the Czech Republic as well as celebrities from many of these countries, it was Indian films Like 'Khosla Ka Ghosla, 'Hope and A Little Sugar' and 'Omkara' and Bollywood filmstars like Ajay Devgan stole the show at the sixth edition of the film festival, which came to a conclusion on Sunday night with the screening of Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Omkara'.

"Omkara", Vishal Bhardwaj's Indian adaptation of Shakespeare's "Othello", won the best adapted screenplay award at the Film Festival while the UTV-produced "Khosla Ka Ghosla", about a middle class family's run in with the land mafia, was adjudged the best original screenplay.

In what would seem to be a scenario bearing a similarity with that in the Indian cities of Mumbai and Delhi, the presence of filmstar Ajay Devgan, along with Vishal Bhardwaj and Kumar Mangat - the director and producer of 'Omkara' respectively - drew enthusiastic cheers from the local audiences, gathered at the art council in Karachi for the screening of 'Omkara'.

Trade sources said that the arts Council auditorium, where the screening was held, was completely filled with hundreds of people standing outside the hall in the hope of getting a pass so that they could catch a glimpse of Ajay Devgan, a huge favourite among the local crowd.

Due to a delay in flight, Ajay and the team of Omkara arrived at the very end of the film but as soon as Ajay walked in, a huge round of applause resonated from the crowd.

Infact, at the beginning of the question and answer session after the screening, festival director Hasan Zaidi commented that he had never seen so many people sit through closing credits.

Omkara, based on Shakespeare's Othello, was also received well by the audiences. Even though most people in the audience had seen the film before, it was the presence of the Indian stars that resulted in a sell-out show.

In a scene that left the entire team of 'Omkara' - Director Vishal Bhardwaj, Producer Kumar Mangat and Ajay Devgan - simply overwhelmed, their arrival at the auditorium was welcomed with claps, whistles and even hooting.

Some girls even screamed on catching a sight of Ajay Devgan. One girl took on the mike and told Ajay that she loved him and blew him a kiss; another girl took the opportunity of singing a song along with her twin sister to Ajay, trade sources said.

On his past, Ajay said it had been just two hours since his arrival and the way he had been welcomed was overwhelming.

Earlier during the festival, films like 'Woh Lamhe', 'Khosla Ka Ghosla' and Tanuja Chandra's 'Hope and a Little Sugar' received an overwhelming response from the audiences at Kara.

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who arrived at the Festival with Gulshan Grover, filmmaker Tanuja Chandra and Mohit Suri (director 'Woh Lamhe') got a rousing reception in Karachi.

Present at the opening night of the festival at Mohatta Palace was the Governor of Sindh - apart from the top film and music celebrities of Pakistan - who personally received Bhatt, Tanuja Chandra, Mohit and Grover. Mahesh Bhatt is the Indian ambassador of the Kara Film Festival and has been to all the previous five editions of the festival.

Tanuja Chandra's 'Hope and a little sugar', based on the life of Muslims post 9/11 in New York, was applauded by the jury which appreciated Chandra's work with the real facts and senstivity of the issue.

"The culture of Karachi is really inviting and engaging and I am glad to be visiting the city," she said during the question-answer session held after the screening.

Also drawing huge crowds at the festival was the UTV-produced 'Khosla Ka Ghosla', featuring Anupam Kher and Pravin Dabas'.

Directed by debutant director Dibankar Banerjee, 'Khosla ka Ghosla' is a film about a middle class person's aspirations to build a dream house. It depicts how the ideal middle class man, played by versatile actor Anupam Kher, aspires of building a dream house out of his life savings but ends up meeting the shrewd estate agent played by the multi talented Boman Irani who has acquired his plot.

''The film drew a houseful crowd on the two days, December 9 and ten, when it was screened.

''The local audiences drew an instant identification with the situations and characters in the film, which they felt drew a slice of their lives. After all, life of a middle class person and his struggle to ensure a decent existence for himself are same for the Pakistanis as for Indians,''the producer of the film Savita, who was present during the screening of the film, told UNI here.

''So overwhelming was the response that there was even a demand for additional screenings for the film. So we lef the print of the film there to enable festival authorities to organise any additional screenings,''she said.

Over 170 films, including over 40 features, over 30 documentaries and over 95 shorts, are to be screened at the Kara film festival this year.

In a way, the screening of Indian films at Kara film festival is a reiteration of the strong cultural bonds between India and Pakistan despite a bitterness at the political level. Infact, Indian Cinema and its films have always been appreciated and welcomed in neighbouring Pakistan. Over the years, crowded lanes and mohallas of Lahore have buzzed with songs from Bollywood blockbusters though two in ones or Gramophones, while pirated VCDs of latest Bollywood blockbusters are a usual feature in the towns of Karachi and Lahore.

Savita said people in Pakistan are really crazy about Indian films and filmstars.

''It really upsets them that due to bitterness at the political level, they are being bereft of the opportunity to watch their favouritve Bollywood films in the local theatres,''Ms Savita said.

Says Dibankar Banerjee, the debutant director of 'Khosla Ka Ghosla',''whatever may be the differences at the political level, there are no differences at the people-to-people level. Infact, there are a lot of commonalities between people on both sides of the border, whether it be in terms of their customs, traditions, dreams and aspirations or the various social problems they encounter in course of their day-to-day lives. That is perhaps what explains the huge popularity that Bollywood films enjoy in Pakistan.'' Given the huge feeling of camaraderie and bonhomie between people of India and Pakistan and increasing cultural exchanges year after year, people in Bollywood circles feel that the day is not far when the strong cultural bond between the two countries would force those at the helm of affairs to ensure a free exchange of films and artists between the two countries.

''For example, the huge following for Bollywood films in Pakistan will eventually force the authorities there to reconsider the existing ban on screening of Indian films in local theatres,''Ms Savita said. Says Pakistani actress Sania Ansari, who recently participated at the South Asian film festival in the capital,''notwithstanding barriers at the political level, the need of the hour is to continue with the efforts to further cultural exchanges like the South Asian Film festival and the Kara film festival.

Hopefully, some time in the future such cultural exchanges will force powers to be to reconsider the existing policies.''

UNI