Anurag Thakur Endorses ‘Vocal For Local’ At Cannes 2022

Dressed in traditional attire, Information and Broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur led the 11-member Indian delegation on Tuesday at the inaugural of the Cannes Film Festival in France. The I&B minister endorsed ‘vocal for local’ on the Cannes red carpet. He wore a cream-coloured bandhgala to honour the weaving community of India.

Thakur, along with music sensation AR Rahman, composer Ricky Kej, lyricist and poet Prasoon Joshi, veteran director Shekhar Kapur, and superstar Kamal Haasan, walked the red carpet to attend the screening of the opening film “Coupez” (Final Cut), by French director Michel Hazanavicius. Tamannah Bhatia and Pooja Hegde also made their dazzling appearance as part of the delegation. Mame Khan, the traditional Manganiyar singer from Rajasthan, was the first folk artiste to open the red carpet event for the Indian contingent at Cannes 2022.

Akshay Kumar too was part of India’s official delegation at Cannes, but the actor had to opt out after he tested positive for Covid-19.

The I&B Minister had also shared Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message at Cannes. “India has a lot of stories to be told and the country truly possesses the immense potential to become the content hub of the world,” the message read.

India has been named as the ‘country of honour’ at the Marche du Film, the business counterpart of the event.

A major highlight of India’s participation at this edition of the Cannes Film Festival, is the World Premiere of the movie Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, produced by R Madhavan. The film is scheduled to be showcased at the Palais des Festivals on May 19. A special screening of a restored Indian classic Pratidwandi, directed by Satyajit Ray, has also been planned as part of the Festival’s Cannes Classics selection. The world premieres of a selection of Indian films will take place at the Olympia Cinema.

In addition to this, India will be showcasing five movies Baghjan (Assamese) by Jaicheng Zxai Dohutia, Ek Jagah Apni (Hindi) by Ektara collective, Bailadila (Chhattisgarhi) by Shailendra Sahu, Shivamma (Kannada) by Jai Shankar, Follower (Marathi) by Harshad Nalawde under the “Goes to Cannes Section”.

These projects are said to be part of the Work In Progress lab under the Film Bazaar.

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