Shimla to host film fest

Shimla, May 24 (IANS) Shimla, fondly known as the queen of hills, will host a three-day film festival from Friday, an official statement said here Monday.

During the festival, 14 award-winning films in seven languages will be screened.

'The ministry of information and broadcasting's Directorate of Film Festivals in association with the state government would hold a three-day Indian Panorama Film Festival at the Gaiety Theatre from May 28,' said the statement.

It would be inaugurated by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal.

Film stars like Rahul Bose, Divya Dutta and Abhishek Pathak would attend the fest.

The venue of the festival, Gaiety Theatre has been the centre of cultural activities in Shimla right from the day it opened in 1887.

Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling, actors Prithviraj Kapoor, K.L. Sehgal, Balraj Sahni, Shashi Kapoor, Jennifer Kendall, Raj Babbar and Naseeruddin Shah also performed there.

After five years of renovation, Gaiety Theatre was reopened in June last year. A sum of Rs.120 million was spent to restore its original Gothic style of architecture.