Actress Bhavana appeared as a surprise guest at the 26th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). The actress received thunderous applause from the audience as she walked onto the stage of IFFK. She was invited to the stage by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy chairman, filmmaker Ranjith, who introduced her as a “symbol of fight”. The actress also received a standing ovation as she greeted the crowd with folded hands.
In the seven-day-long cultural event, over 180 movies from various Asian, African, Latin American, and European countries will be showcased in 14 theatres of the state capital. The festival honoured Turkish filmmaker Lisa Calan, a young Kurdish director who lost her legs in an ISIS attack in 2005, with the Spirit of the Cinema award.
Bhavana said she felt very happy to be a part of the 26th IFFK. “To those who create good movies and those who watch good movies and to those like Lisa who fight against all the odds, I would like to convey my very best,” Bhavana said.
Not just the crowd at the IFFK, but Twitter was also flooded with overwhelming reactions over Bhavana’s presence at the festival. While some call it “a strong statement,” others said that they got “goosebumps” after seeing Bhavana at the IFFK. Bhavana, who took a sabbatical from Malayalam films, is all set to make a comeback with a slice-of-life romantic drama after a gap of five years. She was last seen in the Kannada movie ‘Bhajarangi 2’.
Last week, Bhavana penned an emotional note on social media about her journey from “being a victim to becoming a survivor.” “This has not been an easy journey. The journey from being a victim to becoming a survivor… Now when I hear so many voices speak up for me I know that I am not alone in this fight for justice,” she had written.
Bhavana entering the hall of IFFK with her head held high and a wide smile is everything i wanted to see. Shine on, queen!!🔥♥— Anju💛 (@JuInAWonderland) March 18, 2022
Meanwhile, Bollywood filmmaker Anurag Kashyap was also a special guest at the event. In his speech, Kashyap said, “In a time like this in India, I make movies in Hindi, where we are distorting our history. Kerala is actually chronicling the times we live in, with their cinema… Today, the best of Indian cinema is coming from God’s own country. Congratulations to the state for always standing up to the bullies.”
