1 day Ago By Shashiprasad SM
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed his dissatisfaction over the absence of a majority of Kannada actors, filmmakers, technicians, and other members of the film fraternity from the inaugural event of the 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival. Angry DK Shivakumar While addressing the 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes), Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who is also a film exhibitor with 22 screens, mainly in Bengaluru, expressed his frustration with the Kannada film fraternity. He criticised actors, filmmakers, technicians, and other industry stakeholders for their absence at the festival’s inaugural event.
“During the COVID-19 period, we undertook the Namma Neeru Namma Hakku (Our Water, Our Right) padayatra, walking more than 100 kilometers. It was not a political rally, but a movement for the people. Except for a few, including Sadhu Kokila, Duniya Vijay, and some members from the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, the rest of the film industry did not participate,” said Shivakumar.
He went on to express disappointment over the lack of industry presence at the festival's opening. “This internationally renowned Bengaluru International Film Festival is meant for the film industry. If the concerned film fraternity isn’t present, who should be? The question then arises—why should the festival be held at all if the industry itself remains absent?” he added.
ALSO READ: Actor Kishore Kumar Appointed Ambassador Of 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival Warning and Request While acknowledging the progress of the Kannada film industry in reaching world-class standards, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar urged the Kannada film fraternity to actively participate in events aimed at the upliftment of the industry. He stated that they could consider his words either as a warning or a request. He also emphasised that the government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is making dedicated efforts to address various industry-related issues, including the development of a world-class Film City in Mysuru, which is being planned under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
DK Shivakumar also reflected on his early days as a film exhibitor. "Although I own 22 screens, I have yet to watch a movie. If I find the time, I would like to watch a film at the international film festival.
During my early days as an exhibitor, I would personally watch films before transporting the reels to my touring talkies. I have watched Satya Harishchandra at least 15 times and even took my wife to watch it in Mysuru after our marriage," he shared. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Kannada, Entertainment News and around the world.
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