Chiranjeevi Bags Indian Film Personality Of The Year Award At IFFI 2022

Telugu star Chiranjeevi Konidela bags the Indian Film Personality of The Year award at International Film Festival of India 2022. The 53rd edition of the festival opened at a gala event on Sunday evening in Goa, India and will go on till November 28. The award is a recognition for the actor’s contribution to cinema, popular culture and socially significant work.

Indian minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur made the announcement. Congratulating the actor, the minister says that Chiranjeevi has had an illustrious career spanning almost four decades, with more than 150 films as an actor, dancer & producer. “He is immensely popular in Telegu Cinema, with incredible performances touching hearts!”

The actor also responded to the announcement and tweeted, “Greatly Delighted and Humbled at this honor, Sri Anurag Thakur! My deep gratitude to Govt of India and all my loving fans only because of whom I am here today!”

Chiranjeevi has featured in more than 150 feature films in Telugu. He has also worked in films in other languages including Hindi, Tamil and Kannada. He first rose to fame with his performance in Initlo Ramayya Veedilo Krishnayya (1982) and went on to star in several films and is now fondly known as Megastar Chiranjeevi. Chiranjeevi received the Padma Bhushan award in 2006. It is India’s third-highest civilian award. From 2012 to 2012, he also served as the minister of tourism for the government of India.

Bollwyood star Waheeda Rahman, Tamil star Rajinikanth, musicians Ilaiyaraaja and S. P. Balasubrahmanyam have previously received the award. Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, actor-dancer Hema Malini writer Salim Khan, and poet Prasoon Joshi have also been honored with this award in the past.

IFFI 2022 opened Sunday evening and France is the Country of Spotlight at the festival this year. India was also the Country of Honor at Cannes Film Festival held earlier this year. Actor Aparshakti Khurana was the host at the opening gala. Ajay Devgn, Manoj Bajpayee, Suniel Shetty, Vijayendra Prasad, and Paresh Rawal were also present at special guests and were honored at the event.

A total of 282 films from 79 countries are set to be screened this year and 25 feature films and 20 non-feature films from India will be showcased in the Indian Panorama section. Spanish filmmaker Carlos Suara was also honored with the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at IFFI 2022.

Indian films Bhediya and India Lockdown will premiere at the festival. Winner of India’s Dadasaheb Phalke award Asha Parekh will see three of her film screenings as part of the Asha Parekh retrospective. The festival will also pay homage to singer Lata Mangeshkar, musician Bappi Lahiri, Kathak maestro Pt. Birju Maharaj, actors Ramesh Deo and Maheshwari Amma, singer KK, actor Nipon Das and singer Bhupinder Singh under the homage section.

Some of the significant features of the film festival include special screenings for the visually impaired and recognizing creative talent under the 75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow initiative that was started last year.