Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Sept 13: With the ghost of Zubin Mehta concert still haunting him, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah who was scheduled to inaugurate the second edition of Ladakh International Film Festival could not make it to Leh and the noted lyricist and writer Gulzar had to inaugurate the festival in absence of the Chief Minister.
The Urban Development Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora publicly in his welcome address said, "Chief Minister was supposed to be here in the morning, but he couldn't come because the collateral damage from the concert (Zubin Mehta's recent concert) still preoccupies him. There is curfew in a few districts."
Sources said in absence of the Chief Minister, the noted lyricist and writer, Gulzar had to lit the lamp to open the second edition of the Ladakh International Film Festival (LIFF) in Leh though many celebrities and icons were present on the occasion.
The opening ceremony was held at the Sindhu Sanskriti Auditorium nestled between barren mountains in the virgin beauty of Leh. The otherwise quiet environment was bustling with police officials, film enthusiasts, festival patrons, guests and Government officials.
Gulzar, whose works will be showcased in a retrospective curated by talented filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, was in awe of the destination, and said he hopes that the "highest altitude film festival" also serves movies which are of "high standards".
He said he was happy to be "in such a beautiful destination in such a beautiful Valley and among such beautiful people". His directorial venture "Mere Apne" is due to be screened at the fest, and Gulzar said he was as nervous about its screening as he was when the movie was first due for release.
LIFF was launched in 2012. The three-day festival is likely to screen around 120 short films, feature films and documentaries. A major highlight is the green carpet premiere of international documentary filmmaker Teri McLuhan's "Frontier Gandhi". |
