Lifetime achievement award for Waheeda at MAMI

Mumbai: Leading actress of yesteryears Waheeda Rehman will be presented with the lifetime achievement award at the 14th Mumbai Film Festival to be held next month.

"This year we have decided to present lifetime achievement award to Waheeda Rehman who has put up an extraordinary work over the last 60 years," filmmaker and Chairman of Mumbai Academy of Moving Images (MAMI) Shyam Benegal told reporters here on Monday.

The veteran actress has to her credit old hits like like 'CID', 'Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam', 'Kagaz Ke Phool', 'Tesri Kasam' among others.

About 200 films would be shown at the festival to be held from October 18 to 25 including nine Indian silent films with live orchestra.

The other highlight of the festival will be rendezvous with French Cinema, celebration of Italian cinema and Afghan cinema, besides classic films from around the world.

"I must say the festival has grown tremendously over the years. This year there is a feast waiting for cinema lovers. The festival will have a lovely spread of cinema. I think festivals are the best time to celebrate and enjoy cinema," filmmaker and trustee of MAMI, Ramesh Sippy said.

"There will be rendezvous with eight films from France and many more from Italy. I have been inspired by these films," he said.

The week-long festival, which is a Reliance Entertainment initiative, will be held at National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) and Inox at Nariman Point with Liberty Cinema at Marine Lines as the main festival venue.

"This year prize winning and high quality films will be shown. We are happy we have found a good place this year to showcase the films. It is a dream to have a festival like this," Benegal said.

Among the 200 films to be shown during the festival across all categories include 'The Sapphires', 'Valley of Saints', 'Kauwboy', 'Electrick Children', 'Shameless', 'One Night', 'Farewell My Queen', 'The Delay', 'Shatranj Ke Khilari', 'Charulata', 'Pune 52', 'Mumbai Cha Raja'.