The opening ceremony of the 53rd International Film Festival of India in Goa on November 20 will see several celebrities not just walk the red carpet, but also perform on stage. As per festival officials, this year, Varun Dhawan, Kartik Aaryan, Sara Ali Khan and Mrunal Thakur are among the actors who will be performing at IFFI, while Ajay Devgn will be attending the opening ceremony of the festival.

This year, the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) has introduced a new segment – Gala Premieres and Special Screenings. As part of the initiative, several other cine stars will be present to introduce their films and interact with fans. Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur, who will inaugurate the opening ceremony and also the Film Bazaar on November 21, says,

“This year, we have laid out the whole canvas of the festival such that multiple languages spoken in the country find representation in film programming. Masterclasses and in-conversation sessions with eminent personalities are lined up along with lively musical evenings and star-studded performances at the opening and closing ceremonies, with the massive support of the mainstream Indian film industry. To promote ease of business in films, the Film Bazaar has planned and curated pavilions meticulously to showcase the diversity and depth of India’s film industry. The 53rd IFFI is all set to captivate audiences worldwide.”

Ravinder Bhakar, MD, NFDC says, “IFFI celebrates the cinematic diversity of the country as well as the exceptional talent that our industry has. And this is what attracts celebrities to the festival. We are showcasing their talent and recognising their contribution to India’s rapidly growing content economy.”

Every year, IFFI invites prominent film personalities and cinema experts to conduct masterclasses and be a part of in-conversation sessions on various aspects of filmmaking. This year, filmmakers Shekhar Kapur, Mani Ratnam, Shoojit Sircar, R Balki, Gauri Shinde, Kabir Khan, Aanand L Rai and Luv Ranjan, besides actors such as Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pankaj Tripathi and Anupam Kher will be present during the various sessions to talk about their work and journey, and give film buffs an insight into the process of filmmaking.

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The 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is set to commence in Goa on a grand note. The inaugural day (November 20) will see a slew of stars, including Varun Dhawan, Kartik Aaryan, Sara Ali Khan, Mrunal Thakur, Amruta Khanvilkar, Catherine Tresa and Ritabhari Chakraborty, walk the red carpet and perform, too.

A source tells us, “They all have separate performances on songs from their films. The theme of IFFI this year is 100 years of cinema, and the performances of these artistes are choreographed on the same lines.”

A French presentation of five performances as well as a Spanish Flamenco performance are also planned.

Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, says the film industry has supported IFFI wholeheartedly this time.

“This year, we have laid out the whole canvas of the festival such that multiple languages spoken in the country find representation. Film programming, myriad masterclasses and conversations with eminent personalities are lined up, along with lively musical evenings, star-studded performances at the opening and closing ceremonies, with the massive support of the mainstream Indian film industry for the festival. To promote ease of business in films, Film Bazaar has planned and curated pavilions meticulously to showcase the diversity and depth of India’s Film Industry. The 53rd International Film Festival of India is all set to captivate audiences worldwide!” says Thakur.