The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) was started (despite having no filmi culture here, unlike the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore) in our state by the late Manohar Parrikar in 2004, in the name of bringing some long-term development for Panaji city and with the tall promise of giving guaranteed benefits for all our local taxi drivers, musicians/artisans during this annual festival in Goa.
Unfortunately, who has really benefited despite organizing the IFFI festival for the last so many years in Goa? Has Panaji turned into a posh city like New York City so far? Have our local taxi drivers, musicians, and artisans really benefited in any way due to this annual IFFI festival in Goa?
The worst part is that the organizers of this festival are still seen bringing some outstation folk troupes/musicians from neighboring states to perform during their much-hyped opening/closing ceremonies every year and insulting all our famous Goan folk groups/musicians/bands by making them perform on small stages at some isolated places of Panaji like beggars.
I think that this festival has only helped a few South-Indian/Bollywood film actors/directors/producers to come on holiday every year and enjoy to the fullest at our taxpayers’ money in Goa. It has also helped some politicians from our respective ruling governments to make quick bucks by giving contracts to their own close chamchas (i.e. non-Goan event management companies/painters/electricians, etc) and to rub shoulders with all the South-Indian/Bollywood film actors/directors/producers to bask in the limelight during this annual over week-long nightmare-creating festival in Goa.
