At the prestigious 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, actress Aditi Rao Hydari was a crucial participant in a high-profile panel discussion. This forum focused on the burgeoning cinematic collaboration between the UK and India under the theme “Film Facilitation: UK and India’s 2023 Co-Production Journey”. Aditi stars in ‘Lioness’, the inaugural feature film of this partnership.
This edition of the IFFI, hosted in Goa, proudly introduced the first official Indo-British co-production, “Lioness”, a joint venture between the National Film Development Corporation and the British Film Institute. The film, featuring lead performances by Aditi Rao Hydari and Paige Sandhu, became a focal point of discussion at the festival. The panel, which included Aditi, delved into the collaboration’s significance for Global Cinema. Joining her were ‘Lioness’ director Kajri Babbar, producer Shahnaab Alam, BFI’s Head of International Relations Agnieszka Moody, and NFDC’s Joint Secretary Films and Managing Director Shri Prithul Kumar, with senior Variety journalist Naman Ramachandran moderating. The event also unveiled the ‘Lioness’ poster with an innovative twist: a digital version of this intriguing poster is being offered as an NFT. Adding to the film’s appeal is Khatija Rahaman, daughter of legendary composer A. R. Rahman, marking her debut as a music composer in an international film with ‘Lioness’, thus infusing the project with another dimension of artistic excellence.
Later that day, the festival screened the eagerly anticipated silent movie ‘Gandhi Talks’. The film’s team, including Vijay Sethupathi, Aditi Rao Hydari, the iconic A.R. Rahman, Siddarth Jadhav, Director Kishor Belekar, Producer Rajesh Kejriwal, and Zee Studio head Shariq Patel, made a striking appearance on the red carpet. Although Arvind Swamy, another key cast member of ‘Gandhi Talks’, could not attend the Gala Premiere due to prior commitments, his presence in the project added to its grandeur.
