Mumbai: Veteran actress Sharmila Tagore opened up about her experience at the Habitat Film Festival, highlighting what makes it truly unique compared to other global events like Cannes 2025.
In a recent conversation, Tagore, a regular attendee of the Habitat Film Festival, revealed what sets this festival apart and why it continues to be a cherished event for cinephiles across India. Sharmila emphasized that the Habitat Film Festival thrives on love, dedication, and a commitment to quality. When asked about the differences with Cannes, she acknowledged the scale and global reach of the French festival. Sharmila Tagore told IANS, “Well, I’ve been coming to this festival for many years now, and they always curate very interesting films from all over India. It’s a great opportunity to see those films, and they’ve maintained their high standards. So, it’s always something to look forward to — I really look forward to this festival.”
The ‘Gulmohar’ actress added, “I don’t think comparisons are necessary here. Habitat has been running with lots of love, with people taking great interest in maintaining quality. They organize conversations and various activities, and it has a very high standard. Over the years, it has become increasingly popular. Cannes is something else — it’s much bigger, with different kinds of awards, and it’s a global affair. Since the time of filmmakers like Bajor Bahadur, people have been attending Cannes. It’s a very different kind of event. Also, many brands advertise themselves there, not necessarily films. Plus, there’s a film bazaar where people come to sell and buy films. It’s a very large, prestigious, and thriving film festival as well as a marketplace where filmmakers showcase their work and look for buyers. This market aspect is a very necessary part of film festivals.”
Sharmila Tagore went on to explain, “Habitat, on the other hand, is a more intimate festival. Some might think Cannes is totally commercial, but that’s not true. There are beautiful films shown there. When I was on the jury, we saw films like The White Ribbon, which was excellent and won the best film award. It’s not just intellectual films; there are many good films from different languages.”
“Cannes is very old and well-funded, attracting many big stars, so it draws a much larger crowd. It takes time for festivals to grow, and Cannes has had that funding and time. We don’t have to compete with Cannes, but Habitat is also growing — and growing very well,” Tagore further explained.
The 17th Habitat Film Festival honored legendary figures from the film industry such as Shyam Benegal, Raj Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, Mohammed Rafi, Talat Mahmood, and Aruna Vasudev. Additionally, the festival featured the screening of ‘Puratawn,’ which marked Sharmila Tagore’s return to Bengali cinema.
(IANS)
