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Journalism of Courage
HYDERABAD, Jan 9: A 20-minute cultural extravaganza, directed by the well known film director K Raghavendra Rao, will be the highlight of the opening ceremony of the 30th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) beginning here tomorrow. Hectic preparations were going on on Saturday evening at the Lalitha Kala Thoranam, the venue for the inaugural function here tomorrow.
The welcome song, lasting four-and-half minutes, will feature about 80 dancers belonging to the south Indian film industry and the song will be rendered by playback singer Mano and Srilekha who has also scored the background music. The popular dancer directors Brinda and Kala are choreographing this number.
This will be followed by the inaugural ceremony in which Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Pramod Mahajan and his deputy Naqvi are expected to participate along with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
For the last few years, there has been no parading of the stars on stage and the only stars to go on stage this year willbe the veteran Dev Anand who is the chief guest and the leading south Indian actress Meena who will assist him in lighting the lamp.
Almost all the top stars of south as well from Bollywood are expected to attend. Efforts are also on to get Amitabh Bachchan who is shooting in the city. The function will be compered by Sunit Tandon in English and actress-MP Jayaprada in Telugu and will be telecast live on Doordarshan from 6 pm.
