Actors Rajinikanth, Ranveer Singh, Rishab Shetty and several other stars of Indian cinema attended the closing ceremony of the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on Friday in Goa.
While Rajinikanth was felicitated by Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant, Ranveer Singh attended the event to promote his upcoming action drama Dhurandhar.
Bollywood celebrities Dharmendra, Kamini Kaushal, Sulakshana Pandit, Satish Shah, Piyush Pandey and Zubeen Garg, who passed away this year, were remembered at the film festival.
Filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who passed away on 23 December 2024, was also remembered at the ceremony.
(All pictures are sourced from the IFFI Instagram handle)
Rajinikanth, who was honoured at the festival for completing 50 years in the film industry, appreciated the love and affection he has received from fans and said that it still feels like he has only spent 10-15 years in the industry.
“If I look back, it seems like I've just been around for 10 to 15 years, and that's because I love cinema and acting. Even if I were to have 100 janams, I would like to be born as an actor, as Rajinikanth. Thank you for love and affection,” the 74-year-old actor said.
Ranveer Singh, who will be playing an Indian spy in Aditya Dhar’s upcoming thriller Dhurandhar, was among those who were present at the stage while Rajinikanth was being felicitated.
When asked to say a few words on the veteran actor, Ranveer said, “I am too small to be speaking about this level of greatness.” He also came down from the stage to greet Rajinikanth and take his blessings before proceeding to felicitate the latter.
Kantara actor Rishab Shetty spoke about the inspiration behind the process of making films and revealed how his artistic foundation was shaped when he was young.
He talked about the influence of Yakshagana, a traditional dance form of Karnataka. “This art form has been showcasing our nation’s ancient tales, sacred narratives, and mythology for centuries, around 500 years, and even now, performers engage audiences throughout the night.”
Other actors, including Nawazuddin Siddique and Amit Sadh, were present at the event.
The closing ceremony featured performances from North Indian states wherein the contribution of artists like SD Burman, RD Burman, Zubeen Garg, and Papon was recognised. Artists also performed Yakshagana, a traditional art form of Karnataka.
The festival honoured Skin of Youth as best film, with Santosh Davakhar winning best director for Gondhal. Ubeimar Rios won best actor for A Poet, and Jara Sofija Ostan bagged best female actor for Little Trouble Girls. My Father’s Shadow won the special jury award, Safe House received the ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal, and Karan Singh Tyagi won best debut director for Kesari 2.