India, Nov. 22 -- T he streets of Goa lit up, quite literally, as the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) kicked off on Thursday. This year's opening ceremony began with a colourful parade, flagged off by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Governor Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Sanjay Jaju (Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting), and Dr. L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting. "IFFI bridges Indian talent with global possibilities. Our dream is to make Goa the creative capital of India. Come to Goa, tell your stories, shoot your films," said CM Sawant. The parade featured larger-than-life tableaus from states such as Goa, Andhra Pradesh, and Haryana, as well as from film production houses and major streaming platforms. Adding star power to the evening were actors Anupam Kher, Sreeleela, Jackie Shroff, and actor-politician Nandamuri Balakrishna, who was felicitated for completing 50 years in cinema. Festival director and filmmaker Shekhar Kapur was also present. IFFI's Film Bazaar, now renamed WAVES Film Bazaar, was also inaugurated earlier in the day. IFFI will run until November 28, with gala premieres of films such as Tere Ishk Mein and 120 Bahadur, along with masterclasses by actor Aamir Khan, filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, and others....