'The fact that this was the first stop of French President Emmanuel Macron's trip shows his appreciation of the fact that films are not only a cultural exchange but also a tool of soft power that can foster economic growth.'
Key Points
- French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron spent the afternoon of February 17 with some film folk.
- Anil Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee, Richa Chadha, Shabana Azmi, Zoya Akhtar, Neeraj Ghaywan, Kanu Behl and Ricky Kej were among those who attended.
- French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron are on a three-day visit to India.
Shabana Azmi was among the Bollywood celebrities who met up with French President Emmanuel Macron on his visit to Mumbai on February 17.
The French President and First Lady Brigitte Macron spent the afternoon with film folk like Anil Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee, Richa Chadha, Zoya Akhtar, Neeraj Ghaywan and Grammy Award-winning musician Ricky Kej.
'It was a small luncheon'
“He was very charming, very attentive," Shabana tells Subhash K Jha.
"It was a small luncheon of six actors -- Anil Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee, Richa Chadha and me -- and three directors -- Zoya Akhtar, Neeraj Ghaywan, and Kanu Behl -- along with Ricky Kej and some of his official delegation.”
Shabana reveals that the discussion on Indian cinema's potential partnership with France was very fruitful.
“Many initiatives were discussed. The fact that this was the first stop of his trip shows his appreciation of the fact that films are not only a cultural exchange but also a tool of soft power that can foster economic growth."
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
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