Mumbai film festival: Waheeda Rehman to get lifetime achievement award

Veteran actress Waheeda Rehman will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the forthcoming 14th Mumbai Film Festival, an eight-day film extravaganza which starts on October 18. Mumbai Academy of Moving Image is organising the film festival.

"This year we have decided to award the Lifetime Achievement Award to Waheeda Rehman for the extraordinary work she has put in the last 60 years," Shyam Benegal, filmmaker and MAMI chairman, told reporters at a conference on Monday. Sudhir Mishra, Ramesh Sippy and Amit Khanna, chairman, Reliance Entertainment and MAMI trustee were also present on the occasion.

A Reliance Entertainment initiative, the festival will showcase over 200 movies, including nine silent films. Talking about the highlights of the fest, Sippy said: "All I can say is that there is a feast awaiting you. The festival will have a lovely spread of cinema. Festivals are the best time to celebrate and enjoy cinema.

"This year we have eight films from France and many more from Italy. I have been inspired by these films." Some of the other highlights of the fest are screening of silent films with live orchestra, cinema from Afghanistan and restored classics from around the world.

"Prize winning and high quality films will be shown at the festival. It is a dream to have a festival like this," Benegal said.