IFFI 2017: Goa CM Manohar Parrikar launches poster of Konkani film Amizade

Goa's chief minister Manohar Parrikar launched the first poster of upcoming Konkani film Amizade directed by Aniket Arun Naik.

The launch took place at the Bioscope Village on the sidelines of the 48th International Film Festival of India in Panaji, Goa, late in the evening of 24 November. Present at the launch were director Naik, producer Sachin Verlekar and the artistes.

Amizade is Naik’s debut feature. He has previously worked on several ad films and on Hindi films like Ferrari Ki Sawaari (2012) and John Day (2013). Ferrari Ki Sawaari director Rajesh Mapuskar, whose latest film Ventilator (2016) is also being screened at IFFI 2017, was also present.

Speaking at the launch, Naik said, “Amizade means friendship. The film is about four friends and what happens to their amizade. It’s a journey of these four friends.”

Asked about the film's genre, producer Verlekar said, “You can call it a romantic drama with action.”

Mapuskar and Naik shared light moments during the poster launch. “Aniket was part of my production," the filmmaker said. "I can’t say on camera what all he handled! He handled many things and made sure the production went smoothly. The smartest thing he did was when he made this film he never showed me the script. He directly made it and came to tell me! I wish him all the best. From the poster, I can see the fire representing Aniket.”

Naik responded saying Mapuskar was his mentor and he did not have the guts to show him the Amizade script.

Amizade is scheduled to be released in Goa in January 2018. Speaking to Cinestaan.com, director Naik said that after the film's release in Goa, the team would also look for a Maharashtra release.