'<i>Awara</i>', '<i>Guide</i>' to be screened in film fest from tomorrow

Friday, March 03, 2006

Ahmedabad (UNI): A three-day film festival showcasing five romantic Hindi classics like Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Awara and Guide will begin here tomorrow.

Veteran actor Farooq Sheikh will be playing host for the fest, which is being organised by Hutch.

The other two classics which will be featured in the fest are - Raj Kapoor's Teesri Kasam and Guru Dutt-Meena Kumari starrer Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam.

Sheikh told mediapersons here that these films are timeless and still draw audiences in large numbers. ''Last time when the festival was held in August 2004, the city was experiencing one of the worst floods in recent time's, but the theatres showing the classics were all full,'' he recalled.

He said the songs of yesteryears still enthrall the people and this is evident from the fact that remixes of these songs are so popular.

He, however, admitted that the standards of today's films are on the decline, but said in general the society too has been losing its lustre.

''Previously we used to have quality teachers, political leaders, scientists and now it is not so. Films are a part of the society, so they reflect what is there in reality,'' he said.

To check this deterioration, he suggested the government must come forward and encourage good filmmakers.

Sheikh, who hails from Gujarat, lamented the decline of the Gujarat film industry and said it was unfortunate as Gujaratis, apart from being commercially astute, have a great sense of aesthetics.

On why he has not contributed much to Gujarati cinema, he said he has not got any good offer. ''It would have been a crime to do the films I was offered,'' he quipped.

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