The first-ever Bhojpuri film festival here kickstarted today with screening of a popular 1960-era movie as 10 films are lined for the three-day event which will be supplemented by cultural programmes, handicraft and exhibition-cum-sale of famous Madhubani paintings.
Union minister Rajyavardhan Rathore and Bhojpuri-actor -politician Manoj Tiwari joined celebrities of the vernacular industry at the inauguration at Siri Fort auditorium during which 'Ganga Maiya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo' was screened.
The festival runs till February 5 during which National Award winning film 'Kab Hoi Gavana Hamaar', 'Deswa', and 'He' will be screened.
Other films to be screened are Ranjan Singh's 'Bidesiya'; Dilip Bose's 'Ganga Kinare Mora Gaon'; Abhishek Chaddha's 'Ganga'; Ajay Sinha's 'Sasura Bada Paisawala' and Premanshu Singh's 'Laadla'. Dilip Bose's 'Kab Ayebu Anganwa Hamaar' will also be screeened.
"(Bhojpuri-actor-politician) Manoj Tiwari told me that Bhojpuri cinema needs to be taken to a film festival. I took the proposal to Jaitleyji, Venkaiah Naiduji and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji who approved saying this should be done immediately," he said.
Rathore said the festival holds importance as a huge population living across the world speaks and understands Bhojpuri.
"Almost all over the world you can find people speaking Bhojpuri, not only in India but all over Asia, Europe, Mauritius you will find people who speak Bhojpuri. These films are loved by people so much because it is an art and the artistes who make these films bring the culture and its history to the screen," he said.
Tiwari, who was made Delhi BJP chief in December, also thanked Modi while noting that Bhojpuri film industry employs the most number of people and "it was because of the Prime Minister that the festival has materialised".
"We all feel happy, you all will enjoy this but I thank Narendra Modiji as today he has paid his respect to Banaras, the Bhojpuri land, of which he is an MP," Tiwari said.
"Today the language my mother spoke is truly respected," he added.
The event was also attended by several celebrities of the Bhojpuri film industry including Ravi Kishan, Trisha Khandelwal, Nitin Chandra, Tinu Verma and others.
Ravi Kishan, who is also the brand ambassador of the film festival, noted how Bhojpuri people have always been seen with "disrespect, but it changes today".
"Whenever someone wants to abuse they start with Bihari people. They think Biharis are only cart-pullers, fruit - sellers and rickshawallahs but they don't know Biharis are also IASes, IPSes, and Ravi Kishans too," Kishan said.
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