PUNE: The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune will hold Smarananjali, a two-day event in memory of filmmaker-editor Hrishikesh Mukherjee, on September 30 and October 1.

Actors Jaya Bachchan, Kundan Shah and Ramesh Deo will be joined by other leading lights of cinema in paying rich tributes to ‘Hrishida’, as he was fondly called, whose birthday falls on September 30.

Noted filmmaker and FTII alumnus Kundan Shah (maker of films Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Kabhi Hann Kabhi Na and TV serials Nukkad and Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi), will inaugurate Smarananjali in the presence of veteran actors Ramesh Deo, Seema Deo and others at 10 am on Saturday, on FTII campus in Pune.

Over the Smarananjali weekend, Hrishida will be remembered for his sterling contributions to the film industry, as a director and film editor. Over a series of panel discussions, presentations and film screenings, the unique comedy in his films, his mentoring of actors, his unmatched editing style and his qualities of head and heart will be brought out.

Jaya Bachchan, MP and FTII alumna, who acted in some of Hrishida’s landmark films, will be the Chief Guest at the closing ceremony on Sunday, October 1. Bachchan, who is a 1970 batch acting student from FTII, will also introduce her debut film ‘Guddi’, directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee.

“Smarananjali is FTII’s way of remembering the departed icons of Indian cinema, of recalling titans who may have completed their earthly journey but have left indelible impressions in the collective memory of the film community. In April, we remembered legendary cinematographer VK Murthy. Now, the institute’s editing department took the initiative to reveal the best-known and lesser-known aspects of Hrishida’s life and work as an editor and filmmaker, recounted by those who were closely associated with him,” Bhupendra Kainthola, Director FTII Pune said.