8-day Bahuroopi Film Festival inaugurated

Mysore/Mysuru: Observing that film is an art that takes one from the cover of darkness to light through the silver screen, Tara Anuradha, a National award-winning actress and also Chairperson of Karnataka Forest Development Corporation, said that there are several examples where even illiterate or less educated people have bettered their life by watching movies.

She was speaking after inaugurating the 8-day Bahuroopi Film Festival with the theme ‘Mother’ at B.V. Karantha Rangachavadi in Rangayana premises here this morning.

Recalling her entry to the film world as a child artiste over three decades ago, Tara said she entered the film industry despite stiff opposition from her family members.

Asserting that the film industry has given her everything in life, she underlined the need for holding film festivals as it a means of spreading knowledge about different facets of life.

Maintaining that arts and cinemas are like temples of life, she said that the film industry must be bereft of caste, creed or religion.

Observing that films are incorporative of almost all kinds of art forms, she said that the festival has been given the most befitting theme.

Noting that the word ‘Mother’ itself is a big power, she said that motherly qualities can also be seen among men.

‘River Cauvery is the mother of the entire Cauvery land that spreads across the Southern States. I wish the festival all success with the blessings of the Mother,’ she said.

Tara pressed the button on a laptop to launch the screening of the inaugural documentary ‘The Story of Cauvery’ in Kodava language.

Rangayana Mysuru Director Addanda C. Cariappa, in his presidential address, said that Bahuroopi National Festival  is being conducted for the past 20 years. But this year, the Bahuroopi National Theatre Festival has been converted as ‘Bahuroopi Rashtriya Rangotsava’, with an objective of incorporating multiple forms of art.

Contending that the theatre festival has earned name and fame not only in the country but abroad as well, he said that the theme for this year’s festival is ‘Motherhood’.

K. Manu, Environmentalist and Co-ordinator of Bahuroopi Film Festival, delivered the keynote address.

Sriranga, the venue of the film festival, has been named as ‘Pandaribai Chitramandira’ during the festival in honour of the  late actress Pandaribai.

The film festival concludes on Mar.19. Entry is free on all days.

Bahuroopi Convenor  Anju Singh, Kannada and Culture Joint Director V.N. Mallikarjunaswamy and others were present.