IFFI apologises after mixing up Satyajit Ray’s ‘Sonar Kella’ plot with Salman Khan’s ‘Dabangg’

Team Udayavani, Jan 17, 2021, 3:24 PM IST

Panaji: The 51st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on Saturday apologised for an incorrect information on its website, where synopsis of superstar Salman Khan’s Dabangg was mistakenly put in the description of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s classic Sonar Kella. The latest edition of IFFI is celebrating the work of Ray by screening five of his classics, including the 1974 Sonar Kella.

The film, adaption of the book of the same name, features Soumitra Chatterjee, Santosh Dutta, Siddartha Chatterjee and Kushal Chakraborty. The official website of the festival, however, mentioned that Sonar Kella is backed by actor-producer Arbaaz Khan, Malaika Arora and Dhillin Mehta.

In its synopsis, it was mentioned that Sonar Kella is about “Chulbul Pandey a jovial, fearless but corrupt cop who has a troubled relationship with his younger half-brother Makkhi and stepfather. His life takes a turn when certain events shake his conscience, forcing him to take on a corrupt local politician.” In the 2010 blockbuster, Khan played cop Chulbul Pandey to massive success. Screenshots of the website page started doing the rounds on social media with many users highlighting the goof-up. In a statement posted on the official Twitter page of IFFI, the organisers apologised for the error.

“We would like to apologise for the incorrect information of the film ‘Sonar Kella’ mentioned in the IFFI Film Guide. It was inadvertent and the same has been duly rectified. Inconvenience caused is deeply regretted,” the tweet read. As part of the tribute, the festival will showcase Ray’s acclaimed Pather Panchali, the first film of his The Apu Trilogy, 1964 romantic drama Charulata, his 1977 Hindi directorial debut Shatranj Ke Khilari and Ghare Baire (1984).

IFFI, which began on Saturday, will screen a total of 224 films under different sections at its 51st edition, which has been organised in a hybrid format in the wake of the pandemic.