A galaxy of stars will converge in Patna next week for an art and film festival.

Among the guests expected at the event, Bihar Ek Virasat Kala and Film Festival 2016, are Ketan Mehta, Manoj Bajpayee, Udit Narayan, Pankaj Tripathi, Shekhar Suman and Swara Bhaskar. The four-day programme is being organised by Grameen Sneh Foundation from March 17. It will showcase art forms and films involving artistes from Bihar.

Interactive art workshops, essay, painting competitions and folk dance would also be part of the programme.

The mega event will be held on the Sichai Bhavan premises of Adhiveshan Bhavan. A number of government dignitaries, including Governor Ram Nath Kovind and Patna High Court Acting Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari, are expected to take part in the event. Besides, actors-turned-politicians, including Shatrughan Sinha and Manoj Tiwari, will also be a part of the event.

"The art, culture and film festival is an initiative to promote the state's culture, tradition and everlasting heritage," said Ganga Kumar, secretary, Grameen Sneh Foundation. "It would also foster and strengthen culture relations, understanding and awareness between Bihar and other regions."

The films to be screened at the event include Manjhi: The Mountain Man, Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo, Teesri Kasam and Mithila Makhan. Patna High Court Acting Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari would be the chief guest. Patna Sahib MP Shatrughan Sinha, Rajya Sabha MP Pavan Verma would also share the dais on the inaugural day.

A fashion show would also be organised by National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Patna. Designs in tussar, muga and Bhagalpuri silk would be displayed. Around eight food stalls would also be set up at the venue.

"We will give the Bihar Ek Virasat Kala Samman 2016 award to Chandraprakash Dwivedi, best known for directing the television epic, Chanakya (1991)," added Ganga.

Registration for the event would be free. A QR code has been developed and put on the website. Anyone can scan the code using a smartphone and a QR code reader application to get registered.

"Apart from a seating capacity of 500 in the hall at Adhiveshan Bhavan, painting and essay competitions for children would be held on the terrace. There would be few other activities outside the hall as well," said Ganga.

Residents are enthusiastic about the event. Karan Kumar, a businessman, said: "It is a good initiative as people would get to know about art, culture and movies."