Film-makers Mahesh Bhatt and Goutam Ghose at KIFF Saturday. Photo by Subham Dutta Film-makers Mahesh Bhatt and Goutam Ghose at KIFF Saturday. Photo by Subham Dutta Film-maker Mahesh Bhatt on Saturday said the narrative of the country cannot be reduced to just one “colour” and called for the celebration of the “pluralistic” characteristics of the nation. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also endorsed Bhatt’s views and asked the people to uphold “unity” across the country. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of 24th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), Bhatt spoke about the Chinese mystical bird which has one eye and one wing and is incomplete till it meets the other half to complete it. “It is only when they come together that they can fly and see. This happened to us in Hindi cinema. It is when Bengal came to us with its wisdom and sensitivity that we in Mumbai bloomed. Let this stream grow more intense so that we as a nation can bring out all the colours because we cannot reduce the narrative of India into only one colour. It is a diverse country and we need to celebrate the plurality,” Bhatt said. The film-maker was also of the view that KIFF commits itself only to the idea of India. “This idea of India says that either all make it together or none of us makes it together. In these changing, shifting times, I believe that the film-makers and storytellers will hold the world together. It is the occasion to realise that one of us is much lesser than all of us,” he added. His views were endorsed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who was present at the inaugural ceremony. “Without vision the country cannot run. I endorse Mahesh ji’s views. You are very outspoken and even better than me. I respect you very much for that reason. Let 2019 bring something new in all our lives. Let us think with unity. Let us speak with unity. Let us see with unity. Let us stay with unity and let us believe in unity. Unity is the strength and divide is the fall,” Mamata said in her speech. For all the latest Kolkata News, download Indian Express App

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