Panaji (Goa): In an ironic situation, superstar Amitabh Bachchan is hogging the media limelight for staying away from IFFI, rather than being a part of it.
And Bachchan seems to be enjoying every moment of this adulation, answering reporters? questions and giving bytes to numerous TV channels.
Big B was in Goa on Thursday for a private function but chose to stay away from the inaugural ceremony of the 36th International Film Festival of India. However, Goa Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane on Saturday refused to confirm any such reports.
"I am not aware whether Bachchan was in Goa on the day of the IFFI inauguration or not. Perhaps, he will be here in the coming days," Rane said.
Official sources said that the Goa government had invited the superstar to inaugurate the film festival. However, the Central government reportedly put a spanner in the works by projecting Bachchan's links with the Samajwadi Party, forcing the state government to drop its plans.
As a part of last-minute damage control measures, octogenarian actor Dev Anand, who had also inaugurated the film festival in 1999, was roped in to do the honours.
The Chief Minister also did not disclose whether he had personally invited the Big B for the IFFI inauguration.
"I am not aware of any controversy. We had invited everybody," Rane said, adding some things were under the purview of the Central government.
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