The Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival (October 27 to November 5) has announced that this year’s Opening Night film will be The Buckingham Murders, directed by Hansal Mehta, produced by Ektaa R Kapoor, and co-produced by Indian actress and star Kareena Kapoor Khan, who will all attend the film’s red-carpet event.
It will receive its International Premiere on Friday, October 27 at the NMACC (Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre), following a successful World Premiere at the 67th BFI London Film Festival.
Director Hansal Mehta’s moody procedural is an exploration of grief, our longing for closure, and captures the human cost of our polarised times, featuring a career-best performance by Khan. The story follows cop and single mother Jasmeet Bhamra (Kareena Kapoor Khan), who recently lost her child in a shooting spree, as she transfers to a market town north of London and is assigned the case of a missing child.
Anupama Chopra, Festival Director at Jio MAMI, says, "Hansal Mehta and Ektaa Kapoor have redefined storytelling across formats. In The Buckingham Murders, they join hands with another formidable artist - Kareena. We are delighted to announce The Buckingham Murders as the opening film at Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.”
Director Hansal Mehta expresses, “The Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival has been home to me ever since my rebirth as a filmmaker with Shahid. Coming back here with The Buckingham Murders as the opening film is indeed a proud moment for me personally. It's the story of South Asian communities settled outside India, and it is heartening to see the world take notice of the kind of cinema we are now capable of producing in India. This movie is our labour of love. It’s a thriller, but at the heart of it is a human story about people we may know. Our biggest superpower is our inherent storytelling abilities, and those combined with stellar performances from our extremely talented actors and cutting-edge technology make the South Asian film industry a force to be reckoned with.”
Commenting on her film opening at Jio MAMI, Kareena Kapoor Khan said, “It's an honour for me as an actor and first-time co-producer that my film will open the Jio MAMI Mumbai film festival. It's a place where movies are celebrated and all creative art forms are honoured. Can’t be happier to have our film grace the stage at Jio MAMI. The Buckingham Murders is very special for me since it's my maiden voyage as a co-producer. Working with Hansal and Ektaa is a deeply satisfying and immersive process. We are only hoping our film will reach wider audiences and break barriers globally.”
Hansal Mehta will be joined by Kareena Kapoor Khan and Ektaa R Kapoor at the film’s international premiere on Friday, October 27, at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.
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