Nawazuddin Siddiqui says people 'can hire auditoriums, click photos' at Cannes even if not officially selected

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has reminded everyone that not all films being screened are official selections

ISLAMABAD, (Online) - Nawazuddin Siddiqui has said even if a film is not an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival, it can be screened at the festival by hiring auditoriums.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has reminded everyone that not all films being screened at Cannes Film Festival are official selections. He has revealed that one may simply hire auditoriums and show their film to “their own people” and declare their films travelled to the Cannes. The 75th Cannes Film Festival is currently being held and will go on till May 27. Anurag Kashyap's Kennedy and Kanu Bahl's Agra were screened at the festival this year.

Nawazuddin has had nine of his films screened at the festival. His first film at the film festival was Miss Lovely in 2012. Since then, The Lunchbox, Manto, and Monsoon Shootout have been part of the official selection at the festival.

Cannes screenings

Nawazuddin said, "Now that you mention it…What happens is, you can take your film (to the festival), irrespective of it being officially selected. There are auditoriums that you can hire. Give money to the owner of the auditorium, lay your own red carpet, take your own people, click photos there. Show the movie to your people. Come back and say, ‘Our film got screened at Cannes Film Festival’,” he said.

Nawazuddin added, “I am yet to understand why half these people go to the festival. When we were there, people would be like ‘How and why are you here?’ We would tell them our film is here. They would then ask us where, and we had no answer.”

Official selection Vs Screening

He also said that a good reception of a film at Cannes does not guarantee the success of the film, and cited the example of his own film, Miss Lovely. The 2012 film was critically appreciated at the film festival but had a forgettable run at the box office when it released in India.

Nawazuddin also said in a separate interview that an officially selected film at the film festival is a great experience. He added that Cannes Film Festival is the “Mecca of cinema”, and not a fashion event.

Nawazuddin's new film

Nawazuddin's recent outing, Jogira Sara Ra Ra released in theatres on Friday May 26. Nawazuddin has been paired opposite Neha Sharma in the film that is written by Ghalib Asad Bhopali and directed by Kushan Nandy.

Ahead of the film's release, Nawazuddin had said in a statement, “While my fans love to see me playing dark characters, I enjoy being in the light. And I am confident that this time even they will enjoy the laughs with this oddball couple who are determined to not lose their hearts to each other come what may."