With Amitab Bachchan

With Amitab Bachchan
I've often noticed that we are not able to look at what we have beside us, unless it's inside a frame.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

How Jackie Shroff became the Brand ambassador of MIFF 2016?


How Jackie Shroff became the Brand ambassador of Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2016?
                                     
It was the year June 2015 when the then I and B minister Shri Arun Jaitley appointed me as the Director General of Films Division in addition to my assignments ADG Doordarshan.
With Anoop Jalota, Ashaji Nitin Mukesh and Salimji at FD
As DG, FD, my immediate task was to plan for the forthcoming Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2016, which was a biennial feature.
Normally the planning for MIFF starts the day curtains are down for the previous MIFF which was held in 2014. So my first job was to wake the sleeping giant called Films Division. Not that everyone was in a slumber but because of the indifferent attitude from the higher ups and bureaucracy majority of the work force at FD was laidback.
At FD with Members of Dada Sahab Phalke selection committee 
When I took the first meeting of MIFF 2016, I was surprised to know that the work for the forth coming MIFF had not begun. Clearances, permissions, list of invites, Jury finalization, selection of films, venue etc. was all in limbo or undetermined state.
During my interaction with the FD staff I suggested that MIFF 2016 should have a Brand Ambassador.  Not everyone was in agreement. Searching a brand ambassador was additional task.  With only 7 months left for preparation, any new initiative was given a cold shoulder. But I had made up my mind and decided to go ahead with my plans and rope Bollywood star Jackie Shroff as the Brand Ambassador (BA) of MIFF 2016. This came as a shock and surprise to the entire documentary film fraternity
 Jackie Shroff being felicitated as the Brand Ambassador of MIFF2016
Jackie at Films Division
 Jackie as the BA of documentary films! Are you crazy ? It will not work! Was the immediate response that I got from them?
Initially Jackie too was a bit apprehensive. He was not sure if it was a great idea to brand a Commercial Actor as the face of a documentary Film Festival. But I knew Jackie’s strength. Once he commits he will live up to it and go that extra mile which other Bollywood star can never provide. 
So upon my request, persuasion I got Jackie Shroff as the Brand Ambassador of MIFF-2016. It is pertinent to inform , since the inception of MIFF this was the first instance that a commercial face of Bollywood was roped in  to woo the audience of MIFF-2016 and it worked.
At the opening of  MIFF 2016
A down to earth Jackie Shroff was the best bet for the success of the film festival. Upon my request Jackie moved to FD guest house (at Peddar Road) on the 11th floor facing the Arabian Sea. In fact we were neighbors during the festival period as I too moved to FD with my baggage to ensure my availability 24 hours as the Festival Director of MIFF2016. Jackie was always accessible for any Press meet, interview or self-i.e. shoots with the delegates and journalists.


Jackie at Film Division Guest House


At theMIFF Press  meet
Inaugration of MIFF 2016at Ravindra Natya Mandir Mumbai
Those 7 days with Jackie Shroff gave me an insight of the man who had hardly any tantrums or grumpiness of the celebrity star status. We would sit outside our respective rooms till late night talk, sing, recite poems and tell anecdotes of our lives till the wee hours of the morning.

Sharing Jackie's Birthday Cake
In fact Jackie’s Birthday on the 1st Feb 2016 was celebrated at Films Division in the midst of the Film Festival. He enjoyed every bit of adulation and respect that he received during the MIFF-2016. Thanks Jackie for being there with me when I needed you the most  
MIFF 2016 Closing Function
With Ramesh Sippy at MIFF2016
The icing on the cake was Jackie Shroff’s noncommercial attitude, as he offered his services as the BA of MIFF 2016 pro bono. May your tribe increase dear Jackie!

VIPs at the MIFF 2016

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