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Hansal Mehta’s ‘Aligarh’ to open 17th MAMI festival

Manoj Bajpayee in 'Aligarh'
Manoj Bajpayee in ‘Aligarh’

Eros��International�۪s��’Aligarh’,��the latest film from National award-winning filmmaker Hansal Mehta, has been selected as the opening film at the 17th��Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival on October 30th��2015. This pivotal film marks the first time that a Hindi film will open the festival since 1997, the inaugural��year of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.

Set in a small town in Uttar Pradesh from which the film takes its name,��’Aligarh’��is the story of a professor (Manoj Bajpayee) fired for his sexuality and a young journalist (Rajkummar Rao) who tells his story to the world. Based on true events, the film follows Dr. S R Siras, a professor at the Aligarh Muslim University who, when discovered to be homosexual, was fired from his position.�� The film depicts the unlikely friendship between Dr. Siras and a reporter investigating his first big story, a relationship that will change them both forever.

‘Aligarh’��has been selected to screen at the 20th��Busan International Film Festival in South Korea and the 59th��BFI London Film Festival, this October. This will mark the first time in almost two decades that a Hindi film will open the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.

“I am overjoyed that Aligarh, my first film about a city other than Mumbai, is the opening film of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. This is a befitting reward for a team that has worked selflessly to make a film they are passionate about. This festival holds a very special place in my heart as it began a journey of awards for Shahid, which was until then an unheralded dark horse in a year of sparkling indies. We (Eros International, my team and me) are looking forward to the night and to sharing this special film with the amazing MAMI audience,”��said��Hansal Mehta,��who won the National Award for Best Direction in 2013 with his critically acclaimed��Shahid.

Producer Sunil Lulla, Managing Director, Eros International��added,��”We are delighted at the selection of��Aligarh��for this recognition at a significant film platform like Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. This strengthens our belief��at Eros International��in backing the vision of directors like Hansal who tell meaningful, humane stories through their films.”

Upon announcing the decision to open the festival with��’Aligarh’,��Anupama Chopra, Festival Director,��said,�ʉ��Aligarh is a powerful film that tells an important story on a sensitive subject. Hansal Mehta has a unique ability to tell uncommon human stories on the celluloid screen. Our mission is to showcase exciting and thought-provoking stories and I am sure our audience will enjoy��our festival opener.�۝

Hansal Mehta�۪s illustrious career began in television, where he directed the cooking show��Khana Khazana��(1993���2000) starring Sanjeev Kapoor. Mehta made his feature film debut with��Jayate��(1999), which screened at the International Film Festival of India in Hyderabad as part of the Indian Panorama (1999-2000).�� He followed up his debut with the cult hit��Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar��in 2000, and spent the next decade making feature length and short films. He is best known for��his moving biopic��Shahid��in 2013. The film, starring Rajkummar Rao, chronicles the life of Shahid Azmi, a human rights lawyer murdered in 2010. Mehta and Rao continued to collaborate in Mehta�۪s next film,��City Lights,��an adaptation of��Metro Manila, a British independent film.

The 17th Jio MAMI�۪s Mumbai Film Festival will be held in Mumbai from October 29th��to November 5th��2015.