Boman Irani after receiving the award as a Special Guest. / Courtesy Photo/ Prabhjot Singh

“We did not have the money to shoot the last scene of Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Instead we gate crashed into an actual wedding stage of a private wedding to shoot Munna Bhai’s wedding,” says Boman Irani, a Bollywood star, who is in Toronto to attend the 13^th  International Film Festival of South Asia (IFFSA).

Boman Irani was celebrated as a special guest at the festival's gala opening.

“We wanted to honour one of Indian cinema’s most revered icons, Shabana Azmi, as part of our grand celebration of South Asian cinema, said an organiser of IFFSA. Unfortunately, she could not make it to Toronto.

Running from Oct.10 to 20, 2024, the 13th edition of the festival promises an unforgettable experience with a stellar line-up of premieres and special events featuring some of the biggest names in the film industry, including guests of honour Imtiaz Ali, Deepa Mehta, Boman Irani, and Anup Singh.

IFFSA planned to spotlight Azmi’s remarkable 50-year career with a tribute program that included a special screening of Shyam Benegal’s classic Mandi, showcasing Azmi’s monumental contribution to cinema. Additionally, the festival will host an exclusive masterclass and a musical celebration, “Shab-e-Sur,” paying homage to Azmi’s illustrious cinematic journey

Boman Irani’s much-anticipated film The Mehta Boys, co-written by Oscar winner Alexander Dinelaris Jr. (Birdman, The Revenant), will have its Canadian premiere as the festival's opening film.

Imtiaz Ali will also take centre stage with a special theatrical screening of his blockbuster film Amar Singh Chamkila, followed by an insightful masterclass and a special “Chamkila Night” — a musical celebration honouring the legendary artist who inspired the film.

Other highly anticipated films premiering at IFFSA Toronto 2024 include Payal Kapadia’s Cannes Grand Prix winner All We Imagine as Light, and Madhumita’s Kaalidhar Laapata, featuring Abhishek Bachchan and Nimrat Kaur. The line-up also includes Srijit Mukherji’s Padatik, Leesa Gazi’s A House Named Shahana, and Kaushal Oza’s Little Thomas. Canadian cinema will be highlighted with Durga Chew-Bose’s Bonjour Tristesse and Shadab Khan’s I Am No Queen. In addition, the festival will showcase powerful documentary features, including Gurvinder Singh’s “Trolley Times” and Defiance: Fighting the Far Right, a stirring film supported by Riz Ahmed. Kishor P. Belekar’s Gandhi Talks, starring Vijay Sethupathi and Aditi Rao Hydari, will serve as the festival’s closing film.

The dais of the IFFSA Toronto 2024 / Courtesy Photo/ Prabhjot Singh

The festival’s star-studded opening gala on Oct.11 will honour both international and Canadian talent. Beyond film screenings, IFFSA Toronto 2024 will offer a range of masterclasses and workshops, including one on acting, The Open Gesture, with the festival ambassador and renowned filmmaker Anup Singh, and the launch of the IFFSA Talent Fund 2024/25, providing exciting opportunities for emerging filmmakers.

“This year’s celebration will be a vibrant tribute to the rich legacy of South Asian cinema, marked by unforgettable moments, insightful dialogues, and a profound homage to the icons who have shaped our cinematic world,” said Sunny Gill, Festival Director of IFFSA Toronto. 

Since Shabana Azmi could not make it, Deepa Mehta accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of Shabana Azmi.

Boman Irani stole the thunder of the show by narrating his story, including how his mother used to persuade him to go and watch movies. He made several revelations about how Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. was conceived and produced.

As an actor, Boman Irani started his career as a professional photographer and was keen to cover the World Boxing Championship before he moved to the glittering Bollywood to work primarily in Hindi cinema and theatre. He joined theatre in his late 30's and moved to on-screen acting in 2000. Irani gained attention for his role in the 2003 comedy-drama, Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. He has not looked back ever since. He received several awards and tremendous acclaim for his performance in blockbusters such as Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots, Main Hoon Na, Housefull, Don 2, Happy New Year and more. He recently launched his production house Irani Movietone and he mentors budding writers under his writing workshop, Spiral Bound.

Imtiaz Ali will also take centre stage with a special theatrical screening of his blockbuster film Amar Singh Chamkila, followed by an insightful masterclass and a special “Chamkila Night” — a musical celebration honouring the legendary artist who inspired the film.

Other highly anticipated films premiering at IFFSA Toronto 2024 include Payal Kapadia’s Cannes Grand Prix winner All We Imagine as Light, and Madhumita’s Kaalidhar Laapata, featuring Abhishek Bachchan and Nimrat Kaur. The line-up also includes Srijit Mukherji’s Padatik, Leesa Gazi’s A House Named Shahana, and Kaushal Oza’s Little Thomas. Canadian cinema will be highlighted with Durga Chew-Bose’s Bonjour Tristesse and Shadab Khan’s I Am No Queen. In addition, the festival will showcase powerful documentary features, including Gurvinder Singh’s “Trolley Times” and Defiance: Fighting the Far Right, a stirring film supported by Riz Ahmed. Kishor P. Belekar’s Gandhi Talks, starring Vijay Sethupathi and Aditi Rao Hydari, will serve as the festival’s closing film.

“This year’s celebration will be a vibrant tribute to the rich legacy of South Asian cinema, marked by unforgettable moments, insightful dialogues, and a profound homage to the icons who have shaped our cinematic world,” said Sunny Gill, Festival Director of IFFSA Toronto.

The gala event was attended among others by leading political personalities of both Canada and Ontario and also leaders of trade, industry, tourism and art.

IFFSA Toronto is the largest South Asian film festival in North America and is a pioneer institute advancing the development, promotion and celebration of  South Asian cinematic arts in Canada. It is a year-round platform with various sub-festivals and initiatives, which culminate in IFFSA Toronto Fortnight each year. In its 13th year now, the festival has become an international icon and the voice of South Asian cinema in Canada.

Festival showcases a diverse, language-independent, selection of the best films from around the world, on themes of South Asian cultures and identities. A select number of foreign films are considered under the Beyond South Asia segment.

In addition, the festival also features grand gala celebrations, red carpet showcases, musical performances, audience interactions, forums, panel discussions, workshops, masterclasses, and various networking opportunities with government representatives, business leaders, local organizations that support film development, artists, producers, directors, members of the media and more.

Both celebrated and emerging creatives, film stars and film professionals attend the festival. The highly festive and interactive atmosphere of the festival brings artists and audiences together in a very engaging way. The festival programming creates a balance of tone and form and aims to create an entertaining buzz while simultaneously starting a conversation with the audience. IFFSA Toronto 2024 will be an 11-day-long cinematic extravaganza taking place at multiple pristine and prestigious venues across the Greater Toronto Area.

A section of the political elite of Ontario. / Courtesy Photo/ Prabhjot Singh

Talking about Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Boman Irani said that Hirani did not have a big budget to shoot the film. As a result, he had to change the way certain scenes were shot. For example, the film ends with stills of Munna Bhai's wedding. Hirani was told that setting up a wedding stage and making a wedding outfit for Gracie Singh would cost him several thousand rupees. 

To save on some of that money, Hirani arranged to have the stills shot on an actual wedding stage set up for a real wedding near the sets. The production team reached an agreement with the wedding hall management and used their stage after the wedding ended.

Imtiaz Ali Film Maker was also felicitated for exploring and captivating narrative of legendary Punjabi artist Amar Singh Chamkila. He said that the biggest love stories and tragedies come from Punjab.   

Canada’s own, Deepa Mehta, a world-class director, producer, screenplay writer, and recipient of the Order of Canada and several other awards, including the Academy Award, was also celebrated at the gala event.