Second edition of Himachal International Film and Art Festival begins, actress Deepti Naval attends inauguration

The festival was inaugurated by Vivek Bhatia, Managing Director (MD) of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. HiFAF founders Raja Singh Malhotra and Anuraga Vashishtha honoured him with a shawl, cap and memento, as per the press note shared by HiFAF.

Several celebrities were also present at the festival's inauguration. They include Ketan Mehta, Raghuveer Yadav, Deepti Naval, Pratibha Ranta, Sameer Sharma, and Saqib Ayub.

While addressing the audience, Vivek Bhatia congratulated the organisers for the grand event, saying that such festivals help in giving a new identity to Himachal Pradesh.

"It also encourages the young and energetic filmmakers of Himachal Pradesh as their art is showcased through it," added Bhatia, as noted in a press note by HiFAF.

Film and Art Festival founder Raja Singh Malhotra and Anurag Senior welcomed the guests at the second edition of HiFF. They also claimed that future editions of the Himachal International Film and Art Festival will be organised on a large scale.

Despite the rain, which wreaked havoc at the inauguration function, which was scheduled to be held under the open sky, the enthusiasm of the artists who came to participate in the film festival did not decrease.

Due to the rain, the event was organised in a hall.

As per the press note, an elderly woman came to watch the film at HiFF with an oxygen concentrator. A 60-year-old Thakri Devi, a resident of Burua village, reached Devlok to watch the film with an oxygen concentrator.

Along with this, films like 'Mirch Masala', 'Second Chance', 'No Winter Holiday', 'Chashma' and 'A Fly on the Wall' were screened on the first day of HiFAF. (ANI)