The 7th Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) took off to a colourful start at the Ganesh Kala Krida Rangmanch on January 8. The week long gala event inaugurated by, Anand Sharma, Minister of state for external affairs, will showcase around 150 films from about 42 countries. In World Competition Section, 109 films from 30 countries would be screened. French-Iranian-English animation film 'Persepolis' was screened at the inaugural ceremony.

For their great contribution to the Indian cinema, veteran Bollywood actors Sulochana, Shashi Kapoor and Hema Malini were presented with the 'Lifetime Achievement Awards'.

On receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, an elated Hema Malini said, “I am feeling very proud to receive this award because Pune is such a good centre for art and culture. People from Pune have always appreciated my dance performance whenever I have performed there and to receive this award inront of them makes me very proud.”

Shashi Kapoor, sitting on a wheel chair due to health problems, smiled quietly as he saw the aerobic movements being displayed on the screen when he picturised some of the famous songs in ‘Jab Jab Phool khile’,'Pyar Kiye Ja’,'Waqt’, ‘Abhinetri’. Randhir Kapoor accepted the award on behalf of his ailing uncle.

Eminent personalities like Suresh Kalmadi (Chairman, PIFF), Jabbar Patel (Director, PIFF), Tabu and Randhir Kapoor. Among others who were present on this occasion were Chhagan Bhujbal, Harshvardhan Patil and Mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale.