Mumbai: Amitabh Bachchan on Friday became the first Indian to receive the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) award.
In a virtual ceremony, renowned filmmakers Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan honoured the legendary Bollywood actor.
Remembering a meeting with Bachchan, Nolan said: “I had the privilege of meeting this living legend a few years ago… You realise the importance of everything you have done for the preservation of India’s film heritage.”
Scorsese said the organization “could not have chosen a more deserving candidate for the award.”
FIAF comprises film archives and museums from across the world. Bachchan’s name was nominated by the FIAF affiliate Film Heritage Foundation.
Bachchan said he was “deeply honoured”.
He went on to explain that the dark glasses he was wearing was not a fashion choice, but a protection necessitated by his recent ‘urgent eye surgery’.
He informed that it was his wife Jaya Bachchan who brought the organization to his notice.
“It was when I became the ambassador of Film Heritage Foundation in 2015 that I realised the extent of the neglect and colossal loss of our precious film heritage and how we continue to lose more of our legacy every day. Recognising the urgency of the situation, I have been working closely with Film Heritage Foundation since its inception to do everything in our power to save our films and to build a movement for film preservation in our part of the world,” the 78-year-old actor said.
