The Kaduna Indian Association (KIA) under the Indian High Commission, Abuja has expressed commitment to strengthen collaboration with Nigeria toward ensuring cultural exchange and cooperation between the two countries.
President of Kaduna Indian Association (KIA), Mr. Chandra Sekhar, stated this during a three-day annual Indian Film Festival celebration at the Silverbird Galleria in Kaduna recently.
Represented by the Cultural Secretary of the Association, Mrs. Siddhi Bhaumik Patel, the president said, the Indian Film Festival had become a means of introducing Nigerians to the diverse ethnicities, cultures as well as historic and contemporary Indian society issues and events.
He, however, pointed out that the occasion provided a platform to promote friendship and cooperation among people of the world using social, cultural and creative art contents.
According to Mr. Sekhar, the annual event is also part of an effort toward projecting the excellence of film art, leading to the understanding of different cultures, and nations of the world.
“The three-day festival which started from October eighteenth to twentieth screened two movies on the opening day, the 2021 Tamil Language political satire, ‘Mandela’ in the morning, and ‘Kantara’ a 2022 Indian-Kannada language thriller at 6pm.
“On Saturday October Nineteenth, visitors watched the 2011 Indian blockbuster ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ featuring actors Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol, Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin,” he said.
Speaking on the choice of Mandela’s long walk to freedom story for this year’s celebration, the KIA president posited that it’s a biographical drama that chronicles the life of Nelson Mandela to promote global understanding on freedom and struggles, as well as the importance of equality and justice.
On her part, the sole proprietress of Busy Brain Academy, Mrs. Portia Stephenie Aji was excited for the privilege to watch the Indian movie entitled “Mandela” which according to her was strictly on leadership and the search for nationhood.