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Queen of Thailand and IPL chairman open 2nd Delhi international Film Festival
NEW DELHI: A total of 171 films from 39 countries across the world will be showcased during the Second Delhi international Film festival which commenced here today.
The Queen of Thailand, Dr. Mom Luang Rajadarasri Jayankura, and Indian Premier League Chairman Rajeev Shukla were present. Others who attended the opening included Sri Lanka Cultural Affairs and cultural Heritage Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, and Mrs. Aliki Koutsomitopoulou, Deputy chief of Mission, Embassy of Greece in India who were the guests of honour.
The Festival opened with the critically acclaimed Srilankan Film “Siddhartha Gautama” by director Saman Virman. Virman, Lead actors Gagan Malik and Aanchal, and Producers Naveen and N G Perera were present.
The festival is a seven day event and will have fashion, singing and poetry sections along with the film section. Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha will be presented the Lifetime Achievement Award for his valuable contribution to Indian Cinema and Politics. Muzaffar Ali’s classic film ‘Umrao Jaan’ will have a special screening and award.
Earlier, Gagan Malik who also played Ram in ‘Ramayana’ earlier this year said “The festival is beginning with a film that gives the message of world peace and unity.” He further added “playing the role of young Gautam Buddha was an honour as well as a responsibility for me.”
The films includes 15 Short films; 28 Indian feature films; 12 Indian documentaries; 36 Indian short films; ten NRI films; five Animation films; seven films from across the borders; and 18 Student films.
The festival includes some prizes for films in categories like “Best Feature Film”, Best Documentaries, Best Short films etc.
Ariel Cohen’s “Take Mama”, from Israel will be the closing film of the festival on 27 December.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
