On Monday, November 27, Oscar winner Catherine Zeta-Jones stated in a press conference about her feeling of “coming home” whenever she visits India. An Indian doctor had saved her life when she was a toddler, she said.
Catherine Zeta-Jones, during a press conference at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), sharing her feelings, said, “Actually, a story that I have never told before. India has touched me in a very serious personal way. In that, it was an Indian doctor who saved my life with a tracheotomy when I was 18 months old. So, I wonder why, when I come to India, I have this feeling of coming home, and this is like a tingly feeling. And maybe there’s something to do with that. But the reason why I am actually here is because of the brilliance of an Indian doctor in Swansea, South Wales, in the UK, so I am forever indebted to him.”
Husband Michael Douglas was accompanied by Catherine Zeta-Jones. Michael Douglas was honored with the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in World Cinema on Tuesday, November 28.
Michael Douglas hailed Satyajit Ray as a “Renaissance Man.” Michael Douglas credited Satyajit Ray for creating “the beginning of Indian filmmaking.”
Michael Douglas said, “I actually had a history of Satyajit Ray. Back in college in the 1960s, taking a film class, I became aware of some of his work projects as well as his style and being a Renaissance man. I think he sort of created the beginning of Indian filmmaking and the idea of multiple jobs. He was so many things: an author, a musician, an editor, and a director. So, it’s a tremendous honor to receive this award.”
Michael Douglas added that more money has been pumped into the production and financing of films in the past few years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “It’s been a very successful time. I think the sort of spirit of this festival and the beauty of this festival is that you have 78 foreign countries represented, which is only a reflection of the strength of your Indian film industry, which is really renowned. You are in very, very good hands.”
Catherine Zeta-Jones called Om Shanti Om one of her favorite movies. Zeta-Jones said, “I have always been a huge fan of Bollywood. And being a singer and a dancer, I dreamed that maybe the British film industry would do a Bollywood-type film and I would be cast. But it wasn’t to be. I would love to be part of something in the film industry. In fact, another favorite is The Lunchbox. I came upon it on a long international flight and I watched it twice, back-to-back. I am a big fan of that movie, and it touched me in a sense of being such a quintessential Indian movie. It just touched me as a European woman so, so much.”
(Input from various media sources)
(Rehash/Mahek Vaja)
