Shah Rukh Khan invokes 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' at controversy-hit IFFI

Panaji: Superstar Shah Rukh Khan Monday invoked the Sanskrit words 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (the world is a family) as he opened IFFI, attended by Bollywood and other luminaries but plagued by controversy.

The row over the release of Padmavati had members from the film industry urging stars to boycott the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which also kicked up a furore last week when the I and B ministry decided to drop two films -- S Durga and Nude -- from the Indian Panorama section.

I and B minister Smriti Irani and Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar inaugurated the festival along with Shah Rukh.

The actor, in his opening remarks said stories and movies connected people.

"There is a word in Sanskrit -- Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. It means bringing the world together like a family. I belive no matter what your language, no matter what country your story comes from and no matter what ideologiees, storytelling and listening should be a familial experience," Shah Rukh said at the opening ceremony.

In what seemed like an oblique reference to the ongoing protests over Padmavati and the exclusion of the two films, he said, ".... Familial experience binds us all together, makes relationships stronger even in the face of dissent and discussion as it happens in a family," he added.

The festival was attended by a record number of Bollywood artistes this year.

Apart from Shah Rukh, Bollywood stars such as Shahid Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Anupam Kher, Rajkummar Rao, Radhika apte, Diana Penty, Sridevi, Boney Kapoor, Jhanvi Kapoor, Vishal Bhardwaj, A R Rahman, Ishaan Khattar and Malavika Mohan attended the opening ceremony here.