NEW DELHI: The first ever Kashi Film festival came to a close in Varanasi with Union I&B Minister Anurag Thakur gracing the occasion as Chief Guest. The final day also saw performances by actors and MP’s Hema Malini & Ravi Kishan. The dignitaries distributed subsidies to promising filmmakers of the region to promote the regional Hindi and Bhojpur film industry of UP and encourage film shootings in the region.
The festival had begun with much gusto in the temple town with a glittering inauguration by UP minister Dr Neelkanth Tiwari, I&B Secretary Apurv Chandra, UP Additional Chief Secretary Navneet Sahgal and eminent members of the film industry including Anupam Kher, Satish Kaushik, Ravi Kishan, Madhur Bhandarkar, Rahul Mittra, Ashok Pandit etc. The first evening saw special performances by actor Manoj Joshi & Chairman, UP Film Development Council Raju Shrivastava. Singer Kailash Kher regaled the public of Varanasi with a gala concert making the people of Banaras humming to his tunes. The festival hopes to grow bigger in coming years hosting film premieres & connecting local filmmakers with senior members of the film industry.