At the box office, it wasn't only business calculations that mattered, but emotion, love and compassion for animals. Not just films or directors, but those connected to the film industry who are personally involved in animal welfare were also honoured for their work. A special award ceremony was organised in the city on Saturday evening. 'CineKind'.
This was the first time such an event was organised through a joint initiative between the Film Federation of India (FFI), the apex body of Indian cinema, and People for Animals, an organisation working with animals nationwide. Maneka Gandhi, head of People for Animals, said, "Cinema has the power to change the country. So such initiatives will play a major role in increasing love and compassion for animals."
FFI President Firdausul Hasan said, "The concept of CineKind is to blend empathy and kindness with cinema. There has been a desire to implement this initiative for a long time. October 4 is World Animal Day, and from this year onwards, there are plans to hold this event on that specific date every year."
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Awards were given for animal welfare to films from different parts of the country, as well as those involved in such work. There were a total of ten awards in various categories. From singer Mohit Chauhan to television personality Rupali Ganguly, many were honoured. Mohit and his wife have currently taken responsibility for caring for and feeding around four hundred animals.
Rituparna Sengupta, Usha Uthup, Debashree Roy, Abir Chatterjee, Babul Supriyo, Agnimitra Paul, Bikashranjan Bhattacharya, and multiple members of the Bengali film industry and political personalities were present at this event. Directors Kaushik Ganguly, Shubhrajit Mitra, and musician Debjyoti Mishra were also in attendance.
