New Delhi (India), August 14: Well-known Bollywood actor AnupamKher& award-winning filmmaker-actor Rahul Mittra opened the second edition of the coveted Namaste Vietnam Festival at a packed auditorium in the iconic HoaBinh Theatre, Ho Chi Minh City’s biggest performing arts venue over the weekend.
Organised by the Embassy of India in Vietnam & the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City under the aegis of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, this mega festival of India is being held in Vietnam till August 20th.
Rahul Mittra&AnupamKher addressed the 2000 strong audience comprising of top Vietnamese government functionaries & diplomats, leading local media persons, Indian Consul General DrMadan Mohan Sethi, the festival curator Captain Rahul Bali, singer Alisha Chinai, actresses AvikaGor&Helly Shah, directors RahatKazmi&Abhishek Jain, prominent Indians & expats in large numbers, as the celebrities were awarded for their contribution to cinema amidst rousing applause from the crowds at the grand opening ceremony.
Further to the announcement made by Prime Minister NarendraModi, where he reiterated the importance of Vietnam as the key to India’s Act East policy, this festival is aimed at strengthening the bilateral relations between both countries, entailing a bouquet of events ranging from film screenings, cultural performances, master classes by the celebrities, Indian Independence Day celebrations, seminars & conferences in order to generate a euphoria about India in Vietnam.
The festival will also have the first ever world premier of a Hindi film in Vietnam with AnupamKher’sThe signature.