Deepti Naval, Aparna Sen and Rajit Kapur with Ketki Parikh, organizers, and guests
CHICAGO: The first ever Chicago South Asian Film Festival was off to a formal start recently at the renowned Chicago Cultural Center in the presence of hundreds of cinema patrons, several highly talented filmmakers and artists.
The stars included Deepti Naval, Aparna Sen, Rajit Kapur, Ajay Naidu, Baljit Sangra, Meera Simhan, Ann Feldman, Ravi Kapoor, Sandeep Sharma and more. The magnificent event was presented by NetIP Chicago and Vachikam Inc., hosted by Columbia College Chicago and supported by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.
Opening night was a grand affair that left attendees in awe with the splendor of the stars and the heartwarming opening film of Deepti Naval, Do Paise Ki Dhoop Chaar Aane Ki Baarish.
The masterpiece was Deepti’s directorial debut which starred Manisha Koirala and Rajit Kapur who played the controversial roles of an aging prostitute and a struggling gay lyricist. This was also the debut of Sanaj Naval, a child actor who captivated the audience with his exceptional performance as a 12-year-old mute and handicapped youth.
The film was screened in festivals across the United States and will be releasing in India soon. The must see movie ended with the eloquent saying, “Love is not about being with someone who can make you feel complete, but with whom you can share your incompleteness”, and as the credits began to roll, all the individuals present inside the Claudia Cassidy Theater gave a standing ovation applause.
After the screening, there was a brief question and answer session with those involved in the film, which was followed by delicious decadent h’orderves and cocktails while guests mingled.
There was also a brief presentation by Snehal Patel that previewed his weekend Canon DSLR workshops.
Overall, the opening of the first Chicago South Asian Film Festival was very successful in highlighting the exquisite array of independent cinema stemming from South Asia.
Asian Media USA
