July 7th, 2015: Ayushmann Khurana & Bhumi Pednekar will work their charm on audiences in distant Canada when their runaway hit, ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ will open the first Ottawa Indian Film Festival Awards (OIFFA) this July.
Slated from July 22 to July 25, OIFFA will draw NRI audiences & foreign viewers who love to savor Bollywood. Breaking away from tradition of kick starting a film festival with a big budget, multi starrer or musical, this festival has preferred to open with the much applauded performances of Ayushmann & Bhumi in this unusual love story. ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’, a low-key release, ran in theatres for over 50 days; and without minimal publicity, has become the year’s most loved super hit. The film has also made a sizeable profit for its production banner, Yashraj Films.
In roles that have been perceived as ‘breaking stereotypes’ for Ayushmann Khurana & Bhumi Pednekar, the film is highly anticipated amongst South Asian movie buffs in Ontario. Says Ayushmann, "I am glad that ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ has worked well with both the critics and the audience. Its content, realism and performances make it one of the better films of the year".
While critically acclaimed Indian films like ‘Dhanak’ & ‘Haraamkhor’ will also be shown here, organizers of this South Asia centric film jamboree are counting on the universal appeal that Ayushmann & Bhumi will add.
The four-day festival with cutting-edge global South Asian cinema will be showcase over 15 films, and will play out in popular theaters like Cineplex, Coliseum & the National Arts Centres, Ottawa, Ontario.
