Bollywood actress Richa Chadda made a stunning presence at the 68th Cannes International Film Festival. Richa is the only Indian actress who tried to look beyond the glamorous presence at the red carpet as she went to the festival, for the screening of the film Masaan. The focus was diversified with the presence of regional language films from India. Punjabi film Chauthi Koot was also another film that was screened here.
The film Masaan, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, invited the attention of a wide international audience at the Un Certain Regard screening and had left the audience emotional with its sensitive narrative.
The film set in Varanasi is the story of a young man from low caste who falls in love with an upper caste girl. The film that talks about casteism, narrated the lives of people who were unable to associate with small town moralities and system.
Richa Chadda, who came into limelight with a small role in Dibakar Banerjee's film Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008) and went to make a mark with films such as Fukrey and Goliyon Ki Raasleela: Ram Leela, by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Incidentally, this was Richa's second outing at Cannes. She has never been a glam doll to merely decorate the red carpet. She last visited Cannes, for the screening of a popular gangster film Gangs Of Wasseypur, directed by Anurag Kashyap.
Richa was applauded for her role as a village belle in Gangs of Wasseypur set in the hinterland coal belt in Bihar. She was far more liked by the audience this time for her understated performance in the film Masaan.
For the screening of the film, Richa decided to be seen in traditional attire to make her look perfect as an Indian beauty.
She was seen in saree teamed with sequin blouse, designed by noted Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. "Got teary at the 5 minute long standing ovation. Thank you everyone,"tweeted Richa, soon after the screening of the film.
Film lovers are anxious to watch Masaan back home as it is likely to be released soon in the Indian theatres.
Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur starrer The Lunchbox directed by Ritesh Batra was a widely applauded film screened at Un Certain regard in 2013. Last year, the spotlight was on films such as Ashim Ahluwlia's Miss Lovely starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Titli directed by Kanu Behl.
