Noted filmmaker Anurag Basu has said that “while cinema industry of the entire world is wary of Hollywood, we (Indian cinema) are not scared of the it.”

“We stand tall while most of the film industries all over world have suffered because of Hollywood. But we are not scared,” Basu said, while inaugurating the special package to celebrate centenary year of Indian cinema at the IFFI 2012 here yesterday.

Basu, who has directed films like Barfi!, Life in a Metro and Murder, said he is not wary of releasing his films clashing with the Hollywood ones.

“I am not scared to release my film along with movies like Spiderman or a Tom Cruise flick,” he said.

The director claimed that “soon Hollywood will have to see our release calender before releasing their movie.”

Basu, who was the chief guest for the event, termed himself “a small part of this lovely journey of the Indian cinema.”

During the inauguration of the centenary package at IFFI, an onstage dialogue between Dada Saheb Phalke and his wife Saraswati, unravelling his passion that pioneered silent black and white cinema in India, was performed by actors Lillette Dubey and Mohammad Ali Baig.

Veteran filmmaker M S Sathyu had designed the set for the onstage dialogue, written by Sharayu Phalke Saummanwar, the grand niece of Dada Saheb Phalke.

Courtesy: goanews

Describing the execution of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab as “a correct step”, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday said 2001 Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru should also be executed.

“What should have happened has happened,” Parrikar told, hours after Kasab was hanged at Yerwada jail.

“The Centre has taken a correct step, but what about Afzal Guru?” he said, adding that those who work against the nation cannot be treated like guests.

“Government finally had the courage (to hang Kasab). Now they should also do it for Afzal Guru,” he said.

Afzal Guru was convicted for conspiracy in the December 2001 Parliament attack case and the order of his death penalty was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2004.

The sentence was scheduled to be carried out on October 20, 2006. However, Guru’s execution was stayed following a mercy plea filed by his wife.

Courtesy: goanews

The crisis looming large on Goa’s mining industry has cast its shadow on the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) which is currently underway in Goa.

The organisers have cut short their plans to have mega shows across the state as a part of peripheral activity for the festival, while the main opposition party Congress has said that peripheral activities should have been curtailed further.

During IFFI there will be cultural programmes and screening of movies on the beaches at 16 locations across the state.

The state’s economy is currently fearing crisis after iron ore exports from Goa were halted following Supreme Court order.

“We wanted to have mega shows. But we have decided to keep the peripheral activities low profile,” said Vishnu Wagh , the vice chairman of Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), a Goa government run agency.

Wagh said the cultural shows will showcase local singers, dancers and instrumentalists. “Performing art is a precursor to the film, that is why we have given importance to such shows,” he said.

Congress has termed expenditure on these cultural peripheral activities as a ‘waste’.

“It is a waste of money. These activities should have been curtailed when economy is in the crisis,” Goa Congress unit president Subhash Shirodkar said.

Shirodkar said Goa is not in a mood to celebrate.

“The economy in the interior of Goa is going from bad to worse due to stoppage of mining activity,” he said.

Around two lakh people are directly affected with the mining halt in the state. The SC ordered to halt of the transport and extraction of the ore due to the allegations of illegal mining in the state.

Courtesy: goanews