Bollywood celebrities grace the opening ceremony of 16th Mumbai Film Festival

New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): Bollywood celebritiescame out in full attendance for the inaugural day of 16th Mumbai Film Festival (MFF) in on Tuesday.

Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar, Ranbir Kapoor, filmmakers Subhash Ghai, Rajkumar Hirani, Anurag Kashyap, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, actresses Kalki Koechlin, Huma Qureshi and Deepika Padukone were seen attending the opening ceremony flagged off by Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Bachchan said it was an "honour" to be given this platform and congratulated everyone associated with the film festival.

"I am very happy as today is a very important day. This year is an honour for us that the MAMI Film Festival, which is the 16th festival, is going on. It is really the film fraternity, the members of cinema goers, cinema lovers, members of the media, our audience, and members of the audience, all responsible for helping us keep the flag of MAMI Film Festival flying," she said.

The international film festival is organized by Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image ( MAMI) and this year 185 films from 65 countries will be screened and internationally acclaimed 'Serena' starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper opened the festival.

Indian film director, producer, dialogue writer and screenwriter, Anurag Kashyap, said he is looking forward to all international movies.

"Lots of films I am looking forward to, I am looking forward to all the French movies, the French Riviera and the Dardenne brothers movies and 'Love at First Fight', 'Stratos'. I am looking forward to whole lot of this Russian movie that has come," said Kashyap.

Veteran actress and dancing queen of Indian cinema, Helen, along with French actress Catherine Deneuve were presented with lifetime achievement awards.

The festival will culminate on October 21.