When Ash, Ranbir, and other stars came out to play

Mumbai Film Fest opening: When Ash, Ranbir, and other stars came out to play

byDeepanjana PalOct 15, 2014 9:40 IST

Mumbai Film Festival's creative director, Anupama Chopra had promised that the opening would be a star-studded event and did Chopra ever deliver. Last night, Chandan Cinema in Juhu played host to the shiniest, prettiest of Bollywood stars.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kiran Rao, Huma Qureshi, Ranbir Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and Siddharth Malhotra and other Bollywood hotshots hobnobbed with one another. UTV's Siddharth Roy Kapur was seen chatting with producer-director Vidhu Vinod Chopra and just that sight was probably enough to make the hearts of those who want funding for their films, beat wildly.

American actress Bai Ling - in a red, lacy even gown that was mostly transparent and had a plunging neckline and back - swanned around taking selfies with people like Anurag Kashyap, who was looking rather dapper in a dark blue jacket that looked decidedly fashionable. Perhaps it's designed by his new BFF Karan Johar?

French actress Catherine Deneuve looked resplendent in her red, silk dress. Kiran Rao looked lovely in a green and gold sari. Kapoor was wearing the usual uniform of a head waiter - black tie, white shirt, black jacket - but hey, he's Ranbir Kapoor. Only in a Bollywood blockbuster would a head waiter have Kapoor's natural swagger.

In a nutshell, there was enough star power to dazzle everyone and blind them to the fact that Chandan Cinema's seats are tattered and on the whole, the theatre is crumbling.

The evening's host was Kalki Koechlin who, aside from being a talented actress and writer, proved to be an excellent mistress of ceremonies. She had a teleprompter telling her what to say, but Koechlin often veered off script to add witty comments to the approved lines. For instance, when introducing the International Jury, she said that the judges had come from faraway places like London and - with reference to The Lunchboxdirector Ritesh Batra - Bandra. Of Huma Qureshi, who is also on one of the MFF jury panels, Koechlin said that she is an acclaimed actress and added, grinning mischievously, that Qureshi is also "known for her tumultuous relationship with Kalki Koechlin." Sadly, we didn't have a view of Anurag Kashyap's face at that moment.

The opening could have been a polite and dull affair had it not been for Koechlin's sparkling turn as host. She is, incidentally, the only Bollywood celebrity who didn't arrive late. She was actually early.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan created a tizzy with her entry because she had reportedly arrived on foot and not by car like most others. Wearing an elegant navy blue sari and orange blouse, she came on stage to declare the festival officially open. In her short but graceful speech, she (like everyone else who came to the microphone) applauded Chopra for how she had rallied Bollywood and others to pledge their support.

Rai Bachchan also made a curious reference to corporate bigwigs, the energy in the room and said that she understood now why she had been asked to attend MFF. "All of you know what I mean," she said and perhaps her colleagues do, but us plebeians remain in the dark. Rai Bachchan also gave a lifetime achievement award to French actress Catherine Deneuve. To see so much beauty on one tiny stage is rarer than spotting Halley's comet.

The other award for lifetime achievement was given to Helen, by Akshay Kumar who looked very dapper in his suit and tie. Hopefully, Siddharth Malhotra, who showed up with a scruffy beard, wearing a t-shirt and a red baseball cap, has taken notes. Malhotra's look might be because he's trying to obscure his face after having appeared on billboards advertising a water park in Mumbai, but the opening of a film festival deserves a little more effort. Ayan Mukerji didn't look as much like a homeless person as Malhotra did, but the director was also dressed very casually in jeans and a T-shirt. (The youth these days, I tell you...)

Helen looked regal in a black sari with a gold border and was utterly charming. She came on stage, received her award and was asked to say a few words. She confessed that she finds microphones daunting and read out what the teleprompter was telling her: "Helen speak. Helen leave. Akshay Kumar." Everyone burst out laughing.

Needless to say, all the stars made a beeline for the exit as soon as the awards were done and none of them stayed for the screening of the opening film,Serenaby Susanne Bier. From the speed with which Ranbir Kapoor made his exit, you'd have thoughtBesharamwas about to be screened. Considering how unremarkable Serena turned out to be, you can't blame anyone for leaving. Arguably, more important than when they left is the fact that they showed up at all because, as Koechlin informed us, no one was paid to be at Chandan Cinema. They were all there because they were rooting for MFF.

The prize for the most memorable celebrity appearance at MFF's opening night goes to Deepika Padukone. A few minutes after the opening ceremony was over and lights had been dimmed in preparation of the screening of Serena, there was a bit of a hubbub. Padukone, dressed in a golden dress that gleamed bright enough to light her path, walked into Chandan Cinema only to walk right out. She'd arrived for the opening ceremony only about 30 minutes after it had ended. And this is the person who was selected to be the first Indian brand ambassador for the Swiss watch company, Tissot. Tsk tsk tsk.

But hey, she posed prettily for the photographers so let the record show, Padukone, like the rest of Bollywood's top brass, was there to give MFF a truly glamorous opening night.

http://m.firstpost.com/bollywood/mumbai-film-fest-opening-ash-ranbir-stars-came-play-1757293.html