The 10th South Asian International Film Festival opened tonight with a screening of Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout.  The director, accompanied by his two leading men (Vijay Varma and Nawazuddin Siddiqui) chatted amiably and enthusiastically prior to screening and at a Q & A after.

Also spotted on the red carpet, Prashant Bhargava, director of the wonderful Patang (in which Nawazuddin Siddiqui starred), and the very mobile Samrat Chakrabarti, who was just over in Kolkata for the release of Sada Kalo Abcha (in which he played the lead).

 

As you would imagine – given the rather jet-propelled apogee Siddiqui’s career has been enjoying recently – the UP native was much in demand tonight, by press and public alike.

 

One other director I spotted mixing and mingling was Q, he of Gandu fame from SAIFF 2010.

When asked what we could look forward to this year with his Tasher Desh (screening at SAIFF this week), Q replied “A surprise.”  Well, if you want to find out more, come see the film on Thursday, December 5th at 10pm.

 

SAIFF 2013 runs through to Sunday, December 8th.  More information about the festival can be found here.