Panaji: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray was remembered at the opening ceremony of the 43rd International Film Festival of India here Tuesday.
Inaugurating the 10-day event, actor Akshay Kumar recalled his interactions with the rightwing political leader, who died Saturday following an illness in Mumbai .
"Thackeray used to say: `I`m a mass leader but you are the artiste. You draw crowds`," an emotional Akshay said.
The festival will open with the screening of Hollywood film ‘The Life of Pi’.
IANS