In a tribute to a three-decade-long career, the Tagore Centre at the Indian Embassy in Berlin paid homage to Manoj Bajpayee.
This year the Berlin International Film Festival witnessed a very strong Indian presence with films such Raam Reddy’s ‘The Fable,’ Siddartha Jatla’s ‘In the Belly of a Tiger,’ PS Vinothraj’s ‘The Adamant Girl,’ Gavati Wad’s ‘O Seeker,’ Nishi Dugar’s short film ‘Sour Candy,’ and Subarna Dash’s animated short film The Girl Who Lived in the Loo, among others. ‘The Fable,’ starring Manoj Bajpayee alongside Deepak Dobriyal, Priyanka Bose, and Tillotama Shome, made its debut at the 2024 Berlinale in the festival’s competitive Encounters section, garnering praise from critics and audiences worldwide.
In a tribute to a three-decade-long career, the Tagore Centre at the Indian Embassy in Berlin paid homage to Manoj Bajpayee. The event, hosted by Trisha Sakhlecha, Director of the Tagore Centre, coincided with the premiere of ‘The Fable’ at the 74th Berlinale. The celebration, commemorating both Manoj Bajpayee’s 30-year career and the foundation of the Tagore Centre, drew a diverse crowd of fans from India and Germany. Parvathaneni Harish, the Ambassador of India to Germany, also graced the occasion alongside various distinguished dignitaries, including the German Diplomat Karsten Warnecke, the former Ambassador and Executive Director of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), who currently heads the Cultural & Societal Relations with Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean at the Federal Foreign Office.
“The journey of 30 years has been nothing short of extraordinary. It’s a reflection of the love and support I’ve received from my audience and the film fraternity. Being recognized in Berlin, alongside the premiere of ‘The Fable,’ fills me with gratitude,” said Manoj Bajpayee while extending his gratitude to Trisha Sakhlecha and Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish for the honor. “My gratitude also goes out to all the attendees who made the event truly memorable. This moment is not just mine but belongs to every individual who has been a part of this incredible journey,” added Bajpayee.
“The love I felt at Tagore Centre was overwhelming. It was a beautiful celebration of both the illustrious and incomparable career of Manoj ji, as well as the premiere of our film ‘The Fable.’ It was such an honor to share the stage and sit next to Manoj ji – who I have grown to share a very special bond with – while we chatted about the nearly magical anecdotes that went into the building of our film. The audience was spellbound by Manoj ji’s aura, as was I. It was an evening I will not easily forget,” expressed Raam Reddy.
The session commenced with remarks by the Indian ambassador, followed by a conversation between Sakhlecha and Bajpayee, offering insights into Bajpayee’s journey from a small village in Bihar to becoming a celebrated actor in Indian cinema. Discussions also touched upon his upcoming projects and ventures into production, showcasing his multifaceted contributions to the industry.
Joined by Raam Reddy and the team behind ‘The Fable,’ including Producer Pratap Reddy and Sunmin Park, the event featured a special segment dedicated to the film. Bajpayee and Reddy engaged in insightful dialogues about the film’s creation, challenges faced during production, and their aspirations for its global impact. Reflecting on the event’s significance, Sakhlecha remarked, “It was a joy to mark Manoj Bajpayee’s remarkable 30-year journey as an actor, reflecting the Tagore Centre & Embassy of India, Berlin’s commitment to Indian cinema and storytelling.”
Ambassado Parvathaneni Harish expressed his happiness over the representation of Indian films at the Berlinale, emphasizing India’s talent and innovation in cinema. The gathering not only celebrated Manoj Bajpayee’s achievements but also highlighted the cultural exchange between India and Germany through cinema and the enduring legacy of the Tagore Centre.
As the cultural wing of The Embassy of India and the outpost of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, the Tagore Centre, Berlin organizes a wide range of cultural events at its premises as well as at various prestigious venues in Germany, serving as a platform for Indian art, culture, philosophy, and literature. In August 2023, a day-long festival of India ‘Namaste Berlin’ was organized by The Tagore Centre (ICCR), Embassy of India Berlin in collaboration with Kultursommerfestival, and the Berlin Senate Department of Culture and Community. The one-day event held on August 5, 2023, witnessed a footfall of around 7,000 participants and showcased Indian street food, folk dances, classical and contemporary music, Yoga, Panchatantra stories (in German) for children, and screenings of the movies, ‘Satya Prem Ki Katha’ and ‘Gulmohar.’