Cinema knows no boundaries. It has always tried to transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries. The Jaipur International Film Festival has always been at the forefront of celebrating the best in Indian cinema and world cinema. In order to promote Telugu cinema and Indian cinema in general alongside world cinema, JIFF’s founder-director Hanu Roj has been making outstanding efforts. On Thursday (April 25th), at the Prasad Multiplex in Hyderabad, a stellar International Torch Campaign was kicked off under the aegis of JIFF to expand the horizons and marketing of Indian cinema, including the glowing Telugu cinema. Prasad Multiplex, an iconic address in Hyderabad, was the venue for the event.
The International Torch Campaign was started with the lighting of Jyoti in the presence of several film celebrities. Hanu Roj, the Founder-Director of the Jaipur International Film Festival, said, “Since the year 2009, we have been regularly organizing film festivals abroad and presenting awards on behalf of our organization. We are working hard to promote national and international cinema of the best quality. The governments have also been extending sincere cooperation to us in our endeavour. We have established a world-class movie library with the aim of bringing cutting-edge knowledge about art and cinema to the present and future generations. It is a pleasure to launch this torch campaign here in Hyderabad, the epicenter of Telugu cinema which is now reaching the standards of world cinema.”
Damodar Prasad, President of the Telugu Film Producers Council, attended the event as a guest. He said that Hanu Roj has been tirelessly working to unite the world cinema, thanks to his immense love for movies. “He is not an individual but a force. His tireless efforts are unforgettable. It is commendable that he started the International Torch Campaign in Hyderabad today,” he added.
T Prasanna Kumar, General Secretary of Telugu Film Producers Council, was another guest. He said, “Telugu cinema has grown from old-generation cinema to the new-age cinema catering to a global audience. Not only contemporary movies but also classics like Patala Bhairavi, Chandi Rani, and Mosagallaku Mosagadu, among others, deserved global fame. During the days when NT Rama Rao was the Chief Minister, he organized an international film festival in Hyderabad and tried to spread the fame of Telugu cinema to the world. The governments of the Telugu States haven’t been giving Nandi Awards. We hope that they will resume the process.”
While senior film journalist Prabhu anchored the program, producers Lakshmana Rekha Gopala Krishna, Nagulapalli Padmini, MM Prasad, Ram Kishore, Y Anil, senior journalist Uma Maheswara Rao and others participated in the program.
