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The tale of an anchor
By Saibal Chatterjee, Indo-Asian News Service

Panaji, Dec 3 (IANS) Who is footing the bill for Rakshanda Khan's many comings and goings to and from the 36th International Film Festival of India? That is one of the many questions that cropped up at a feedback session that IFFI director, Afzal Amanullah, pleasantly deviating from tradition, had with the press Friday afternoon. 

The pretty television anchor has already played emcee at two IFFI shows - the overlong opening ceremony as well as at the 'attempted' extravaganza at a party touted as Goa Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane's bash. Don't be surprised if she resurfaces at the closing show, where about one hour is expected to be devoted to yet another kitschy song-and-dance affair. 

One senior journalist covering the festival reflected the general mood of the media when he told Amanullah: "We have no interest in these silly shows. Please give us something that is stylish, sober and culture-related." 

The Directorate of Film Festivals has, of course, made it clear that they have nothing to do with the presence of Rakshanda here. It is probably the lady's connections with Sony Television, which has been roped in by event managers Wizcraft as one of the sponsors of IFFI, that are behind her repeated appearances on the stage. 

Not that the lady doesn't make a pretty picture. She even does a rather good job of her assignment. But film festival regulars see her as a symbol of 'Bollywood intrusion' into the serious space of an international celebration of cinema.

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Egypt on the beach

The French Day open-air do at the Taj Holiday Village Friday night was a lavish affair indeed. The grounds were turned into Cleopatra's court, complete with royal guards, belly dancers and even a mummy to mark the Indian premiere earlier in the evening of the French comedy, "Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra". 

French Ambassador Dominique Girard quipped: "We are not in Egypt. Tonight we are celebrating Indo-French cultural relations, not French-Egypt ties." 

Dev Anand flew back into Goa to be present at the party to interact with members of the French delegation. The irrepressible actor-producer-director is keen his next film, "Mr Prime Minister", gets a decent European opening. 

Dev Anand hit it off famously with supermodel Noemie Lenoir, who represented the cast Asterix and Obelix at the party. Also spotted in the course of the evening were Pooja Bedi, Sony Entertainment Television's Kunal Dasgupta and Manya Patil-Seth, the executive producer of "Dubai Return."

Later percussionist Sivamani whipped up a heady rhythm that went perfectly well with the theme of the party although many at the bash were found complaining about the decibel levels.

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French mean business

France will honour Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan with a special tribute in Paris next year. The retrospective will be designed to highlight his "astounding career". 

None other than the French Ambassador to India Dominique Girard made the announcement in the course of his speech at the French Day party. "He isn't here Friday night for obvious reasons. We join everybody in wishing him speedy recovery," Girard said.

The ambassador revealed that as many as eight French films, including "L'enfant", the closing film of IFFI, and "Lemming", have been picked up for commercial distribution in India. 

He said: "We are really happy that a realisation is growing in India that films from our country can give audiences in the multiplexes a wider choice of films beyond Hollywood." 

One of the principal fallouts of the increasing Indo-French cooperation in the field of cinema is the move to bring the Equinox scriptwriting workshop to this country in 2006. Exactly how serious the European nation is about furthering these ties can be gauged from the size and nature of the delegation that has been sent to IFFI. 

Apart from creative forces like filmmakers Alain Corneau and Regis Wargnier, it includes representatives from production and distribution companies like Wild Bunch and Chez Wam. It is clear that the French mean business, literally.

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Cinema's loss, politics' gain

Goa Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane would probably have been an actor today had he heeded close friend and actor Jalal Agha's advice. He revealed this during an informal conversation with actor Anwar Ali, the late comedian Mehmood's younger brother. 

During the shoot of Khwaja Ahmed Abbas' "Saat Hindustani" in Goa 35 years ago, Rane was in constant touch with the film unit, which included Anwar Ali and Amitabh Bachchan. 

Since he was a regular visitor to the location, Jalal Agha suggested that Rane could play the role of one of Portuguese officers. "If I had taken Jalal's advice, I would have perhaps been in your profession today," he said. 

Rane, who has been closely involved with the conduct of the 36th IFFI, will host a lunch for delegates on the closing day of the festival. As this edition of the festival draws to a close, Rane is confident that Goa will be better equipped for next year's IFFI. 

"A full-fledged convention centre where film screenings, dance performances and musical recitals can be held all year round will come up at Dona Paula," he reveals. That would indeed be a godsend. 

One of the biggest problems that Goa IFFI faces is the paucity of theatre seats. This year, there are well over 4,000 delegates and accredited media persons here, but the five theatres together have no more than 2,000-odd seats.