Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is indisposed since Thursday night and in a lot of discomfort, which led him to cancel his scheduled presence here to inaugurate the 25th Kolkata International Film Festival, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday.
"Amitabhji comes here every time. But he could not turn up. Since last night he is unwell. So doctors have restricted his movement. He is suffering a lot since last night," Banerjee said at the inauguration programme.
Shah Rukh Khan opened the festival in Big B's absence.
Banerjee said he got a message from Bachchan early on Friday morning informing her about his indisposition.
"He contacted me, Jaya ji (Jaya Bachchan) also. .. We pray for his long life and good health. Today though he could not come, I believe Amitji's mind is with this festival. We cannot think of this film festival without him," she said.
In attendance were Madhabi Mukherjee - known internationally for portraying the title role in Satyajit Ray's "Charulata", actor MPs Nusrat Jahan, Mimi Chakraborty, Shatabdi Roy and Deb Adhikary besides film directors Goutam Ghosh and Sandip Ray.
The programme began with a montage of history of cinema, followed by a short promotional film on Bengal's film locations made by Parambrata Chatterjee, before a gripping song and dance presentation choreographed by Tanushree Shankar.
