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National Award-winning actor Vicky Kaushal has hailed the inaugural International Film Festival of Delhi (IFFD) 2026 as a "good omen" for Indian cinema, while also lending his vocal support to filmmaker Aditya Dhar's latest project, 'Dhurandhar' and 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge'.
The festival, which opened on Wednesday evening at the iconic Bharat Mandapam, saw a star-studded red carpet featuring the likes of Vicky Kaushal, Arjun Kapoor, Nimrat Kaur, and Siddhant Chaturvedi, among others. Speaking to the media at the event, Kaushal expressed immense pride in the capital hosting a global-tier festival. "It feels great that we are organising a film festival in Delhi. We often travel to festivals around the world, but now it's time for the world to come to us," the actor remarked, adding, "I'm feeling very good. I think it's about time that we organise such a big festival in a city like Delhi... this is a very good omen for us." The actor also took a moment to celebrate the success of the 'Dhurandhar' franchise, the latest venture from director Aditya Dhar. The duo previously redefined the Indian war-film genre with the massive hit 'URI: The Surgical Strike', a film that earned Kaushal widespread fame and a National Award. Commenting on Dhar's latest work, Kaushal said, "I'm just very happy to see how Dhurandhar is working. I loved the first part. I'm yet to watch the second part. But Aditya is a great filmmaker. He got a great cast together. And I'm so happy that everyone is loving the film so much." Addressing the youth of Delhi, Kaushal encouraged students and aspiring artists to engage with the festival's workshops and masterclasses. "I would like everyone to come and enjoy this festival. Watch as many films as you can. Meet as many people as you can. Talk about cinema," he said. He added that he intends to catch the sequel immediately upon his return to Mumbai. The IFFD 2026, inaugurated by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta alongside industry veterans like Hema Malini and Sharmila Tagore, aims to position Delhi as a global creative hub. The opening ceremony also saw Lifetime Achievement Awards presented to Sharmila Tagore, Dharmendra, and Nandamuri Balakrishna. The festival, organised by the Delhi Tourism & Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC), is set to run until March 31. (ANI)
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