‘West is West’ to open 41st IFFI in Goa

PANAJI - “West is West”, starring Indian actor Om Puri, will be the opening film at the 41st edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) which kicks off in Goa Nov 22, an official statement said.

Produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), director Andy DeEmmony’s “West is West”, is a sequel to the 1999 “East is East”, which was directed by Damien O’Donnel and also starred Puri and Jimmy Mistry, an actor of Indian origin.

Set in Manchester of 1975, “West is West” deals with the father’s worry about his 15-year-old boy, who he believes is turning his back on his Pakistani heritage and therefore decides to take him to the country of their roots.

The film has earlier premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival and has also had a limited Britain premiere at the BFI London Film Festival earlier this year.

The movie, which stars Puri, Aqib Khan, Linda Bassett and Jimmy Mistry, will be screened at the formal inaugural function. Bollywood filmmaker Yash Chopra will throw open the festival.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee will also be present at the inaugural function, the statement said.

–Indo Asian News Service