Akshay Kumar to inaugurate IFFI this year

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar will inaugurate the 43rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) which gets underway next month, an organiser said Tuesday.

"We have just finalised it. Akshay Kumar will be inaugurating the IFFI this year. He has also okayed it," Vishnu Wagh, vice chairman of the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), told IANS Tuesday.

The 10-day IFFI will be held in Panaji from Nov 20.

Akshay, who has several super-hit films to his credit, also has a house in Anjuna, located 20 km north of here.

The name of Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan was also short-listed along with Akshay to inaugurate the festival, which is being held in Goa annually since 2004.

Wagh also said that the inauguration of the IFFI this time round, could move from being ritually held indoors to a picturesque river jetty, located in the city itself.

"It will be a much grander event this year with over 2,500 people attending it, as against the 1,000 odd invitees, who were traditionally invited every year," Wagh said, adding that the Goa government would be spending around Rs.9 crore for the 10-day event.

"The central government will only foot the bill for the inaugural and closing ceremonies," Wagh said.