Mumbai (Commonwealth Union)_ The 56th International Film Festival of India wrapped up in Goa with a warm and emotional celebration of Indian cinema. The highlight of the closing ceremony was the honoring of Tamil superstar actor Rajinikanth, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award for completing 50 remarkable years in the film industry. The 74-year-old actor attended the event with his wife and daughters, Aishwarya and Soundarya, and was welcomed with loud applause from the audience.
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Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant presented Rajinikanth with a shawl and a commemorative memento on stage. The veteran actor, visibly moved, thanked the central government, his colleagues, and fans for their support throughout his long career. In his speech, he said he felt grateful to still be working after five decades and added that his love for cinema keeps him energized. “Even after 100 years, I would like to be born again as an actor, as Rajinikanth,” he said, drawing a standing ovation.
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The ceremony was attended by several well-known personalities from the Indian film industry. Ranveer Singh, Rishabh Shetty, Ramesh Sippy, Dhanush, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vineet Kumar Singh, Amit Sadh, Madhur Bhandarkar, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, and Shekhar Kapur were among those present. Actor Ranveer Singh, along with Dr. L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, and Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of the Information & Broadcasting Ministry, joined Rajinikanth on stage during the honor.
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In a touching segment, the festival paid tribute to artists who passed away this year. An audio-visual presentation remembered Dharmendra, Kamini Kaushal, Sulakshana Pandit, Saroja Devi, Satish Shah, Piyush Pandey, Zubeen Garg, and Shyam Benegal, acknowledging their lasting contributions to Indian cinema. The evening also celebrated international filmmaking. The top award went to “Skin of Youth,” a Vietnamese film that tells the story of a complex romance between a transgender sex worker and a cage fighter. The film was praised for its sensitive storytelling and bold themes.
Meanwhile, in terms of work, Rajinikanth continues to work on Jailer 2, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar. The sequel brings back his character, Tiger Muthuvel Pandian, and will feature Ramya Krishnan and Shivarajkumar, with several other major actors expected to join the cast. Additionally, work is also underway to finalize the director for Thalaivar 173, backed by Kamal Haasan’s Raaj Kamal Films International.
