The 11th Mumbai film festival kicked off with Shashi Kapoor braving his ill-health and receiving his lifetime award from Shabana Azmi and Ambika Soni.

“Thank you so much for this. I can’t speak much but all I want to say is thank you,” Shashi spoke in a trembling voice as Shabana held the microphone in front of him. The legendary actor had tears in his eyes as the audience gave him a standing ovation. Shyam Benegal lit up the ceremonial lamp along with the other jury members — Jaya Bachchan, Yash Chopra and Amol Palekar. Yash Chopra was also felicitated by MAMI.

As anchors Farhan Akhtar and Karan Johar braved the frequent technical glitches, Ambika Soni promised that the concerns of the film fraternity will be addressed as her own in her “temporary stint as minister”.

The film festival opened with The Informant, widely considered a cult film by Steven Soderbergh.

In the script: Karan Johar