Every Madhur Bhandarkar film has a point to drive home with its reality checks and
baring the truth. Though fiction, his films have its roots in the real thing.
Director of films like ‘Chadni Bar’, ‘Fashion’ and ‘Page 3’, Madhur is
currently attending the 50th edition of the International Film Festival of
India in Goa. He is also a member of the Steering Committee of IFFI for two
consecutive years.
How has IFFI evolved over the years? Madhur says, “There is a
huge difference. IFFI has tremendously changed and I feel it is a great thing.
For the last two years, I have been in the steering committee. There are a lot
of innovative ideas that have come into the festival. We have done a lot of
more events this time. In terms of the whole IFFI, there are more film centric
and brilliant international movies, great honours to international and national
stars. It is a great mix and I feel that Goa has been a global point where
people want to see movies over here. Goa is a tourist hub already but worldwide
Goa has been are on the global map. I am happy that IFFI happens in Goa as
there is good communication between the Central Government and the Goa Government
as they are working in tandem together. It is great experience.”
He further adds, “We look forward for IFFI as members of the
committee. There are a lot of things which are discussed. Any festival is an
important platform. It is one umbrella where you can meet actors, director,
producers and learn by interacting and attending masterclasses. Marketing your
films is also an aspect.”
Even though IFFI is Asia’s oldest film festival, it has still a
long way to go to reach the international standards of film festivals being
organised across the globe. Madhur shares his views, “In the last 3-4 years,
there has been a paradigm shift in terms to the infrastructure, the selection
of movies, the international stars coming down. We are definitely having our
shoes on and we are very much over there and I am very happy. I still remember
that people at Cannes were looking forward to IFFI and they were discussing
IFFI at that festival. People were talking on the forums that IFFI will be held
in November and I am happy that IFFI is on that space. A great mix of people
are come for IFFI. There are a lot of international and national celebrities
who have come here and their movies are being shown. There are various
retrospectives and IFFI at 50 is definitely a landmark point in the history of
Indian Cinema,” says Madhur.
Madhur
has a few films on his mind which includes an action and a comedy film which
are still on the scripting phase. A regular visitor to Goa, Madhur has been a
visiting IFFI every year since it moved to Goa except for when he was shooting
for his films. “I like going to my ancestral temple in Mardol, Veling. I love
the whole the coastal shore. If I have a story I would love to work in Goa. The
upcoming films are still on the scripting stage,” concludes Madhur.
