Shah Rukh Khan to be part of 26th Kolkata film festival inauguration: Mamata

Kolkata: Stating that the "show must go on" by standing together to overcome the pandemic situation, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced that Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will join the inaugural ceremony of the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) at 4 pm on January 8.

In a tweet, Banerjee stated: "Together we will overcome this pandemic. But the show must go on. We are going ahead with #KIFF 2021 virtually, on a smaller scale. Glad that my brother @iamsrk will join us virtually at the inaugural event on Jan 8, 4pm. Watch Kolkata International Film Festival live."

The Chief Minister will be attending the inaugural programme of the 26th edition of the seven-day long KIFF virtually from Nabanna Sabhaghar.

Shah Rukh attended inaugural ceremonies of all editions of the KIFF in the past few years. This year, the KIFF will begin with the screening of Satyajit Ray's classic Apur Sansar, which was Soumitra Chatterjee's debut film, at 5 pm on January 8 at Rabindra Sadan, as a tribute to Ray, on his birth centenary, and Chatterjee, who passed away in November.

As many as 81 feature films and 50 short and documentary films (selected out of 1,170 entries) from 45 countries will be screened from January 9 to 15 adhering to all Covid norms. Four films on life and works of Swami Vivekananda will also be screened on the day of 'Yuva Divas' on January 12.

In view of the pandemic situation, film lovers can get free-of-cost tickets online through 'Book My Show' from January 7.

Unlike the past few years, no films will be screened in any private cinema theatres this year. Films will be screened only at eight state-run cinema theatres and 50 percent seats of each cinema theatre will be used.