After Goutam Ghose, Benegal to wow audiences in Nepal

Kathmandu, Feb 9 (IANS) Close on the heels of acclaimed Indian film director Goutam Ghose wowing Nepal with a mini film festival that screened three of his films in Kathmandu this month, now it is the turn of another renowned Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal to entertain moviegoers with his 2008 comedy 'Welcome to Sajjanpur'.

Benegal, whose debut film 'Ankur' and its successors boosted the genre of parallel cinema in Hindi film industry, will be present in Kathmandu Friday for the screening of the film that stars Shreyas Talpade, Amrita Rao, Kunal Kapoor and Ila Arun.

Recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award in the Indian cinema industry, the 77-year-old Benegal's visit to Nepal will also cement other ties between the two neighbouring countries.

As India marks the 50th anniversary of its Film and Television Institute of India in Pune this year, the celebrations are also being shared in Nepal, which has nearly 40 alumni.

Two of the most veteran directors in Nepal's film industry - Laxmi Prasad Sharma and Shambhu Pradhan - are FTII alumni.

The FTII alumni organisation GRAFTII - Graduates of Film and Television Institute - has a chapter in Nepal which is set to celebrate the 50th year with Benegal's film and a three-day cinema workshop.

The workshop, cinema for the New Generation, is supported by the Indian embassy in Kathmandu and the B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation.

Besides Benegal, the workshop will also have cinematographer Rajen Kothari discuss cinematography techniques, followed by the screening of 17 short films made by GRAFTII Nepal graduates.