The Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) on Thursday conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award to director Mani Ratnam at the Vidhana Soudha in the presence of Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Director Mani Ratnam who debuted into in the film industry with a Kannada film titled Pallavi Anu Pallavi, is the first film maker to be conferred with this award. Mani Ratnam returned his prize money of Rs. 10 lakh to the Karnataka government and requested to use the money towards helping upcoming directors in the state. He was also quoted as saying,
“I was wary of accepting a lifetime achievement award because it is sort of an indication to quit. But this award came from home, Bengaluru, from where I started my film career. So, I am here..Whenever I passed this road, I always wondered why the government didn’t give this majestic architectural marvel Vidhana Soudha for a film shoot. But I entered the building only today. It took so many films to come inside. It shows that someone will recognise you when you go on doing your work.”
Thursday was the concluding day of the 10th edition of the BIFFes. Other awardees at the event included Korean movie Excavator (Best Asiatic Film Netpac award), Kannada movies Raajakumara (best film Kannada popular entertainment), Reservation (Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy award best film), Beti (Netpac international jury award for Kannada film), Mayurakshi (Chitra Bharathi award best film), Assamese movie Ishu (Special jury award) and Tamil movie To-Let (P.K. Nayar memorial award).