London: Indian actor Irrfan Khan, known for films like “The Namesake”, “Life of Pi”, and “Slumdog Millionaire’, was announced as the winner of a special Icon Award at Bagri London Indian Film Festival (LIFF).
Comedy “Eaten by Lions” triumphed at the BFI-backed event. The winners were announced at the closing ceremony Friday night, reports variety.com.
Irrfan is undergoing treatment in London for a neuroendocrine tumour. He accepted his award privately, LIFF said. Actor Manoj Bajpayee was also given an Icon Award.
The actor, who will soon be seen in Amazon’s Indian original “Family Man”, starred in two films that screened at LIFF — “Love, Sonia” and “In the Shadows”.
“Getting this award at this prestigious film festival, it definitely is a matter of privilege for me, also in London, the city I love the most,” he said.
Other winners at LIFF included Bollywood actress Richa Chadha, who took the Outstanding Achievement Award. She stars in “Love, Sonia”, which was the festival’s opening night movie.
“When you say Indian films, people assume it’s just Bollywood and that’s untrue,” she said.
“We have independent films… Festivals like LIFF help us in making the right noise back home, so these films stand a chance against the mainstream expensive (movies).”
Mrunal Thakur, another star of “Love, Sonia”– which is a US-Indian production from “Life of Pi” producer David Womark, won the Best Newcomer Award.
According to variety.com, Jason Wingard’s “Eaten by Lions” scooped the Audience Award for Best Film. It follows half-brothers Omar (Antonio Aakeel) and Pete (Jack Carroll) as they travel to the British seaside resort of Blackpool looking for Omar’s biological father.
