BIFFes-2025: CM promises film city near Mysuru

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and actor Shivrajkumar, among others, during the inaugural function of 16th BIFFes in Bengaluru on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: K. BHAGYA PRAKASH

A world-class film city with all facilities will be built on a 150-acre plot near Mysuru shortly. The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) has already transferred the land parcel to the Information Department, and the work will begin soon, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said after inaugurating the 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) – 2025 on the steps of Vidhana Soudha on Saturday evening.

“I hope this facility will encourage the production of world-class films that seamlessly blend human values with advanced technology,” he said.

Global culture

The Chief Minister said that international film festivals are a reflection of global culture and should be leveraged to create meaningful and impactful cinema.

“With growing income inequality, there is growing social unrest and dissatisfaction,” he observed, and he urged the film industry to play an active role in addressing societal issues, fostering unity, and promoting progressive ideals through cinema. He said that is why the government had selected the theme of this year’s festival as “Sarva Janangada Shantiya Tota” (The garden of all communities). 

Constitutional values

Recalling the films of Kannada thespian Dr. Rajkumar, Mr. Siddaramaiah said his films had stood the test of time as they were rooted in humanism and social harmony.

“Sadly, such values are often missing in contemporary cinema. I wish that the film industry moves towards greater humaneness and inclusivity in storytelling,” he said. He further cautioned that films should be a tool for enlightenment and progress, not regression by propagating superstitions and anti-Constitutional values. 

Actor Shivarajkumar, the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony, announced that he would restart film shoots on Monday. He has recently returned from the United States of America after undergoing surgery for bladder cancer.

“It is your love that has kept me going. I will be back to shooting films from Monday, with the same energy,” he said, to loud cheers from the audience.

Actor Kishore Kumar G., the brand ambassador for BIFFes-2025, appealed to the State government to start film appreciation courses at the school level for a better understanding of films as an art form. “We need to seriously engage with cinema, as a pro-people art form,” he said.

This year’s festival kicked off with the screening of the Hindi film Pyre. Directed by Vinod Kapri, the film is a poignant drama about an aging couple. More than 200 films will be screened across 11 screens at the Orion Mall from Sunday. Additional screenings will also be held at Kalavidara Sangha, Dr. Rajkumar Bhavan, and Suchitra Film Society.

We know how to tighten screws, warns DKS 

Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief D.K. Shivakumar said he was angry with the Kannada film industry, as most of them did not support the party when it took out a padayatra demanding clearance for the Mekedatu project.

He said he was also upset that most of them did not participate in the inauguration of the BIFFes on Saturday evening. Mr. Shivakumar, speaking at the event, warned the industry leaders. “Take this either as an appeal or as a warning. If the government doesn’t give permission, your film shoots will come to an end. We know how to tighten the screws,” he said.

“We were fighting for the State’s water issues during the pandemic. But only Sadhu Kokila and Vijay came with us. No one else. We will not forget those who stood with us in tough times. As soon as we came to power, we made Sadhu Kokila the president of Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy,” he said.

Further, he said that if actors, producers, and directors of the Kannada film industry did not participate in the film festival, the very purpose of the Festival was defeated.