Festival circuit

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
corners international glory

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s musical extravaganza, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, the smash hit of 1999, after creating box-office history all-over India and abroad, also created a record of sorts at all the major awards in India winning awards in the major categories, including best film and best direction. For the first time in the history of Indian cinema, a commercial Hindi film, achieved a rare feat by creating new box-office records, getting rave reviews for its cinematic and aesthetic achievement and also winning popular as well as critics’ awards.

Now, the film is creating waves at most of the prestigious international film festivals. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam has brought glory to producer-director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and artistes and technicians associated with the film. The film got its first prestigious screening at International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Delhi, in the Panorama Section, held in January.

Then, in February, the film made headlines at the Berlin Film Festival where a commercial Hindi film was screened for the first time in the section “International Forum of New Cinema,” where many talented filmmakers of the world first hit the international spotlight. The film was also screened at the midnight series at the Delhi, a rare achievement for Bhansali.

After an amazing response and critical acclaim in Berlin, the film was screened at the Hungarian Film Festival in Budapest. The film was highly acclaimed here and got rave reviews. Incidentally, a major part of the film was shot there.

This month, the film will be screened at the Seattle Film Festival, where 250 films from 45 countries are to be screened.
In July, the film will also be screened at the Moscow International Film Festival which showcases the best and the latest in world cinema.

Melbourne Film Festival in Australia has also invited the film. The festival, being held in July/August presents an annual showcase of the widest possible range of outstanding filmmaking from around the world. It seeks to celebrate the finest achievements in film, recognising artistic excellence in all its forms.

In September, the film will be screened at the Fukuoka Film Festival in Japan. In November, the film has been invited to two major film festivals. It will be screened at the Stockholm Film Festival which is the leading competitive film festival in Northern Europe and continues to manifest itself as a ground breaking event. This will be followed by Nantes Film Festival.

Made under the banner of Bhansali Productions, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam has been written, produced and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali under his own banner Bhansali Productions with Salman Khan, Ajay Devgan and Aishwarya Rai playing stellar roles. Lyrics by Mehboob have been set to lilting tunes by Ismail Darbar. Art by Nitin Desai, cinematography by Anil Mehta, story by Pratap Karvat and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, screenplay by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Kenneth Philips, editing by Bela Segal, audiography by Jitendray Chowdhury, costumes by Neeta Lulla and Shabia Khan and dialogue by Amrik Gill are other credits.

Namita Nivas