TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Even as Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari batted to keep the International Film Festival of India in Goa, megastar Kamal Hassan Friday said that steps should be taken to bring IFFI to a higher level, even if that means developing infrastructure or relocating the festival elsewhere.
In short, a lot more had to be done before it became a permanent venue.
Hassan said that he felt that IFFI was not up to the mark, lacked infrastructure, and even as relocating should be an option, the film industry needed to be taken into confidence while organising film festivals
“It has evolved from the time it was instituted; it happened haphazardly once in four years … three years and then it became every year and it is grown …the number of films …the number of visitors… the venue has changed from Delhi .. but we need to see more happening. It’s not out of avarice or greed … we are not anymore a third world country.”
On the permanent venue for IFFI, he was even more categorical saying he still did not see it as such.
“We have been talking of a permanent venue for IFFI…it’s not yet there…which has been promised. Anyway I hope the improvements are made, otherwise the industry too will have to think about taking part…relocating …whatever ….making it better. It’s not only the government which has to keep doing everything… we should also. The government should help us as it serves both well the exchequer and for the film makers.”
