India was announced as the official 'country of honour' at the Marche' Du Films also called Cannes Film Market, which is held on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival, which begins May 17. And on Tuesday, a press release issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting enlisted the names of some celebrities from the Bollywood as well as the Television industry who will be seen making their way this year. Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur will lead the delegation from India to Cannes. Meanwhile, there are a few names who will be seen making their debut at the French Riviera. Among those is the name of TV actress Helly Shah, who is known for her work in shows like-- Swaragini, Ishq Main Marjawan 2, Devanshi, Ishq Mera Sufiyana and others.
Well, this is not the first time when a Television actress has walked the red carpet of an international event. Previously, in the year 2019, it was Hina Khan who made the country proud and rocked several gorgeous looks. Well, this time it would be Helly who will be making her way for the first time, thanks to her film Kaya Palat. Yes, that's true! The poster of Helly's film will be unveiled during the Cannes Film Festival. In the same, she will be seen alongside the writer, producer and actor of the film Rahat Kazmi and actor Tariq Khan.
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As soon as the fans came to know about this news, the internet got filled with congratulatory posts for not just Helly but even Hina. Have a look at the same here:
Speaking about Hina, she will also be seen making her Cannes walk this year. But before that, the 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai' actress will be heading to London to attend the UK Asian Film Festival for her film 'Lines.'
Taking to Instagram and sharing the good news with her fans and followers, Hina wrote, "Persistence, Passion and power is a virtue that acts as a guiding light. Young small town girl with dreams that touch the sky, I for sure have been called a daydreamer or sometimes farsighted. But dreams are all I’ve got and I shall use it to fuel my journey as far and long as I humanly can. Thank you @ukasianfilmfestival for acknowledging this humble journey of a girl who truly believes women must try twice as hard anywhere in the world and never leave the opportunity to lift other women up.
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Getting a recognition by peers from the other side of the world for a heartily-made and hard-earned film is cherishable for life. Much much love and appreciation, Thank you for inviting me and officially selecting our film #Lines and premiering it in the festival.. I shall see you soon UK Asian Film Festival.. London here I come.. Another big one for #Lines @rahatkazmi @rockyj1 @hirosfbf @rishi_bhutani #FaridaJalal & entire #TeamLines. A big congratulations to us!"
Apart from Helly, another actress will be seen making her debut at the annual festival and she is none other than Pooja Hegde. The 'Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo' actor will be flying to France on May 16. She will be attending the festival on May 17-18 and she will be present at the after-party that hosts some of the most celebrated actors worldwide.
Pooja says, "First and foremost I am so proud that India will be the country of honour, this year, at the Marche' Du Film at the Cannes Film Festival. Our country has a rich history at the festival, which stems back to Chetan Anand's 'Neecha Nagar' winning the top prize at the festival in 1946. I strongly believe in the power of cinema and stories to overcome language, geographic and culture barriers."
Coming back to the delegation of actors going to attend the event, the list includes the names of-- Akshay Kumar, music maestro A R Rahman, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, R Madhavan, Renowned folk singer Mame Khan, actors Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Nayanthara, Tamannaah Bhatia and Vani Tripathi, two-time Grammy winning composer Rickey Kej, and CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi.
Meanwhile, Bollywood star Deepika Padukone is part of the eight-member competition jury of the Cannes Film Festival along with prestigious names such as actor-filmmaker Rebecca Hall and Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi.
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India's selection as the country of honour coincides with the 75th year of Independence, the 75th anniversary of France-India diplomatic relations and the 75th year of the Cannes Film Festival. India will also showcase five movies at the 'Goes to Cannes Section'. At the movie gala, a brand new restoration of master filmmaker Satyajit Ray's rare movie "Pratidwandi" will also be presented in an exclusive screening.
This year's Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 17 to May 26 and the organisers have done away with wearing masks or asking for any COVID tests. Cannes Film Festival will come to a close on May 25.
-With agency inputs
