Second Indian Film Festival in Budapest was inaugurated on 7. September by well-known Hungarian film-director, Istvan Gal, (who has also taught at the Film Institute, Pune) and Ambassador of India to Hungary, Lakshmi Puri. The festival lasting twelve days, will show thirteen films – ranging from box-office hits like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Karan Arjun, film classics like Silsila and Janam, regional art films like Samskara and Chemeen, historical and political dramas like Attenborough`s Gandhi, Benegal`s Making of a Mahatma, Sardar Patel, June 22. 1897 and Train to Pakistan and Mira Nair`s award winning Salaam Bombay. The festival opens with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, which has a special interest for Hungarian audiences as half of the film is shot in Hungary (though called Italy in the film). It is intended that like last year some of the films will be taken to regional centers in Hungary after Budapest.

There are growing linkages between Hungarian and Indian film industries in terms of location shooting of many Indian films here as well as recording of orchestral music (for example Hey Ram, Lajja, Aks. Ramesh Sharma and Hungarian film director Sandor Sara are working on coproducing films on Hungarian national hero and Indologist Korosi Csoma Sandor and Indo-Hungarian painter Amrita Sher –Gil).

It is hoped that with increasing exposure to Indian films, Hungarian audiences could aquire a taste for Indian films with their uniqueness and variety. Hungary has seen a mushrooming of cinema theatres and multiplexes, showing mainly Hollywood films. But like other parts of Europe; this is the right time for the Indian film industry to make a foray into the Central-European market through a strategically located and influencal country like Hungary which has traditionally been receptive to and full of admiration for Indian culture. Already last year`s three-month film festival created immense interest in Indian cinema and programme software for television and this was a logical follow-up.