Cinema celebrations

SHILLONG, JAN 21: The capital of Meghalaya played host to an event celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema with the screening of the country’s first feature film, Raja Harishchandra, at the State Central Library here on Monday in the presence of film stars from West Bengal.The three-day Centenary Film Festival, which is being organized by the Union ministry of information and broadcasting, was inaugurated by Meghalaya chief secretary  WMS Pariat in the presence of Moonmoon Sen and her daughter Ria Sen, among others.“Cinema is one common platform to project the unity that is there in the country irrespective of caste, greed, religion and up-bringing,” said Pariat, while  appreciating the I&B ministry for choosing Shillong, which has very limited history of cinema, as one of the venues for the country-wide centennial celebrations of Indian cinema.Speaking earlier, Moonmoon recalled discovering for herself how music was part of local life during her first visit to Shillong many moons back. She said the films on offer during the festival are meaningful ones that should warm the hearts of film lovers.

The three-day festival will include the screening of the first Khasi coloured film, Manik Raitong, which was directed by Ardhendu Bhattacharya in 1984, and the Jaintia film, Chake. Assamese director Jahnu Barua’s film, Tora, will also be screened in the festival. (By Our Reporter)