Colombo:
The IIFA awards in Sri Lanka may be overshadowed by a boycott call but former union minister Shashi Tharoor believes cinema should build bridges and act as 'Ram Sethu' between two countries.
"Hindi cinema embodies India's diversity and pluralism and film world should built a Ram Sethu of imagination," said the Congress MP, who is in Colombo to participate in the India International Film Awards (IIFA).
Tharoor also made a point about the condition of Tamils, saying that it was an emotional issue in India. Sri Lanka as a venue for IIFA has angered many Tamil supporters in India, who accuse the Sri Lankan army of killing Tamils civilians during the peak of the conflict between army and LTTE last year.
The South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce (SIFCC) has said it would boycott Bollywood actors participating in the event.
"India wants focus on relief, rehabilitation and reconciliation for Tamils in Sri Lanka's war-torn north. India wants political consensus over the Tamil issue.
"India wants Tamils to have an honoured place in their own country within the frame work of united Lanka," Tharoor said.
Sri Lanka's deputy minister of Economic Development, Laxman Yapa Abeywardene said, "Sri Lanka is influenced by Indian culture, tradition and language. Hosting of IIFA is dawn of a peaceful era."
The country, which saw a violent end to three decades of civil war, is hoping to repair its image and revive tourism by hosting the event.
But this year's IIFA saw some of the big names in Bollywood opting out of the event. Amitabh Bachchan, who is the brand ambassador of IIFA, did not attend the ceremony for the first time in 11-years.
His actor son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai too cited a busy schedule for not attending the event.
Shah Rukh Khan, who last performed in IIFA in 2005, opted out. The actor is busy shooting his superhero flick 'Ra.One'. Arjun Rampal, Kamal Haasan, Rajnikanth and director Mani Ratnam too gave the event a miss.
"Hindi cinema embodies India's diversity and pluralism and film world should built a Ram Sethu of imagination," said the Congress MP, who is in Colombo to participate in the India International Film Awards (IIFA).
Tharoor also made a point about the condition of Tamils, saying that it was an emotional issue in India. Sri Lanka as a venue for IIFA has angered many Tamil supporters in India, who accuse the Sri Lankan army of killing Tamils civilians during the peak of the conflict between army and LTTE last year.
The South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce (SIFCC) has said it would boycott Bollywood actors participating in the event.
"India wants focus on relief, rehabilitation and reconciliation for Tamils in Sri Lanka's war-torn north. India wants political consensus over the Tamil issue.
"India wants Tamils to have an honoured place in their own country within the frame work of united Lanka," Tharoor said.
Sri Lanka's deputy minister of Economic Development, Laxman Yapa Abeywardene said, "Sri Lanka is influenced by Indian culture, tradition and language. Hosting of IIFA is dawn of a peaceful era."
The country, which saw a violent end to three decades of civil war, is hoping to repair its image and revive tourism by hosting the event.
But this year's IIFA saw some of the big names in Bollywood opting out of the event. Amitabh Bachchan, who is the brand ambassador of IIFA, did not attend the ceremony for the first time in 11-years.
His actor son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai too cited a busy schedule for not attending the event.
Shah Rukh Khan, who last performed in IIFA in 2005, opted out. The actor is busy shooting his superhero flick 'Ra.One'. Arjun Rampal, Kamal Haasan, Rajnikanth and director Mani Ratnam too gave the event a miss.
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