IFFD 2026: Sharmila Tagore receives Lifetime Achievement Award, says age brings ‘freedom to act better’

NEW DELHI: Veteran actor Sharmila Tagore highlighted the creative freedom that comes with age as she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the opening of the International Film Festival of Delhi 2026, saying she considers her recent Bengali film ‘Puratawn’ among her finest works.

“It feels great, it feels absolutely great, because it gives an opportunity for people in Delhi to see different kinds of films, different language films. Like one of my Bengali films, Puratawn, 2025 film will be screening on the 29th, which we did, that was my last film a few years ago, not even a few, I mean, it’s a recent film. And I’m very happy I’ve done it, it’s very age appropriate, and it’s, I think, one of my best, if not the best,” Tagore told the media.

Expanding on her experience working on the film, Tagore underscored how age has influenced her craft. “Because, you know, there’s so much freedom that comes with age, and, you know, you don’t have to really look pretty, and, you know, your face is not so much. So you can act so much better with freedom. So, I’m very happy about the film,” she said.

#WATCH | Delhi: At the International Film Festival Delhi 2026, Actress Sharmila Tagore says, “It’s a great experience, because it gives the people of Delhi a chance to watch films of different kinds and in different languages. One of my Bengali films will be screened on the 29th,… pic.twitter.com/6C2rcTsMa7

— ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2026

The actor, who has had a celebrated career spanning decades, also expressed gratitude for being honoured at the festival and for the screening of her film as part of the tribute. “I’m very happy, of course, I’m very happy and appreciate and grateful that they’re doing this for me, and, yes. I want to tell you that Delhi is the capital of India, so, you know, people are very interested, so I’m sure they will enjoy it,” she added.

The International Film Festival of Delhi 2026 opened on Wednesday evening at Bharat Mandapam. The red carpet saw attendance from several prominent names, including Arjun Kapoor, Nimrat Kaur, Vicky Kaushal, Sanya Malhotra, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Lauren Gottlieb, Kangana Ranaut, Vivek Oberoi, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Prosenjit Chatterjee, and Arvind Swamy, among others.

The ceremony began with a tribute marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, setting a cultural tone for the evening. The inaugural lamp was lit by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta along with ministers Kapil Mishra and Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, and actors Hema Malini, Kangana Ranaut and Sharmila Tagore.

Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Tagore, the late legendary actor Dharmendra, and Balakrishna, recognising their contributions to Indian cinema.

The festival opened with Sirat, directed by Oliver Laxe, a Cannes Jury Prize winner and Academy Award nominee, setting an international tone for the inaugural edition.

Organised by the Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation in association with the Delhi government, the festival will run until March 31, featuring screenings, masterclasses, panel discussions and cultural events. (ANI)