Varun Grover's directorial debut All India Rank opens Dharamshala International Film Festival

varun Grover brought his feature debut, All India Rank, to kickstart the festival`s latest edition

Screenwriter-director Varun Grover's affair with Dharamshala International Film Festival continues. After showcasing his maiden short as a director, Kiss, at DIFF last year, Grover brought his feature debut, All India Rank, to kickstart the festival's latest edition over the weekend.

The slice-of-life dramedy opened to a thundering response as it saw a packed screening with the audience embracing the world of Grover's 90s-set offering.

Ahead of the premiere, Grover emphasised the impact of movies, saying that in a world that's "falling apart" today, humanity finds connection through cinema. The writer-lyricist said if one makes the other watch a cinema they love, the world will probably see less hate.

"In today's world, which is falling apart very quickly in front of us, cinema makes us feel connected to fellow humans. Not just in this room but the rooms which made these films which we are going to see in the next few days. Cinema, even if it doesn't change us to be better humans, it heals us; it sometimes gives us an indication of what kind of person we are," Grover said.

All India Rank was premiered at the mountaintop inside one of the on-site auditoriums turned into a cinema hall with audio-video logistics provided by mobile theatre company, PictureTime.

Grover noted how each year the festival has only scaled up. "I first came in 2015 with Masaan, last year I came with my short film Kiss and now my feature film All India Rank is opening the festival, which is one of my favourites in the world. This is a true honour," he said.

At the 12th edition of DIFF, apart from the two on-site auditoriums with 2K projection systems and 5.1 Dolby surround sound, movies from across the world will also be showcased at two state-of-the-art inflatable screening halls mounted by PictureTime.

Actor Manoj Bajpayee-starrer Joram, which is due to release theatrically next month, will close the movie gala today. The film has been helmed by Devashish Makhija, who previously directed Bajpayee in the award-winning drama Bhonsle.

Talking about his partnering with DIFF, Sushil Chaudhary, Founder, PictureTime Digiplex, said the aim for this year's edition is to provide viewers with an unforgettable movie watching experience.

"PictureTime has joined forces with DIFF to offer filmmakers, delegates, and cinema enthusiasts an experience akin to a big-screen theater. Our collaboration is flourishing, and this year we've expanded to include four auditoriums equipped with an immersive viewing environment, three of which boast DCI-compliant screens. With each passing year, the festival's growth is evident, and we take pride in being a contributing partner," Sushil said in a statement.

DIFF showcased a total of 92 films from 40+ countries, including 31 feature narratives, 21 feature documentaries, and 40 short films.

Other festival favourite titles included Pa Ranjith's production Bottle Radha, which made its world premiere, Tora's Husband by filmmaker Rima Das, Achal Mishra's Ri, Aamir Bashir-directed The Winter Within, and While We Watched by Vinay Shukla. In addition to the film screenings, the festival also featured panel discussions and masterclasses with industry experts and filmmakers.