Michelin-Star chef Vikas Khanna's directorial debut screened at United Nations

Michelin-Star chef Vikas Khanna's directorial debut ' Last Color', starring National Award-winning actress Neena Gupta, was screened at United Nations hequarters, with aim to highlight mess of women empowerment, equality and dignity for all.

UN screening on Friday was organized by Society For Promotion of Indian Culture and Experience (Spice-Indian Club) under United Nations Staff Recreation Council (UNSRC) that aims to promote India's artistic and cultural herit within world body's hequarters.

Gupta, who recently won several awards for her performance in movie 'Bhaai Ho', flew in especially for screening, which was attended by Under Secretary-General for Operational Support Atul Khare, chef Khanna, UN staff and personnel and members of Indian-American community.

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Set in ancient Indian city of Varanasi, Last Color is story of 70-year-old widow or, played by Gupta, and her special bond with 9-year old Chhoti (Aqsa Siddiqui), a homeless girl who aspires to go to school and makes ends meet by performing stunts as a tight-rope walker and selling flowers.

dressing garing before screening of movie, Khare shared a personal story of his late mor, a widow for almost 19 years before she passed away. 

He stressed that due to cultural rms and patriarchal societies, widows are treated differently than widowers and experience for a woman whose husband has died is very different from what a man whose wife has passed away has to go through.

He highlighted need for creating societies that help widows find productive engment and employment, enabling m to le a life of dignity.

I hope that at end of this movie, when you go back, in your own way you will help bring a hopeful turn in lives of neighbours, friends and family and create a positive change, Khare said.

Gupta told reporters in an interview ahe of screening that film shows a ray of hope that little acts of kindness and positivity can help achieve anything.

"I feel that if all of us start at home, to be nice to our staff, pay m better salaries, look after ir children's education, n whole world will change, she said.

On her role in Last Color, Gupta said she realized that it was magic of Banaras, in that environment, I didn't have to do anything. Things just happened on ir own.

She described Last Color as a very important film in her career."I don't call it a film, it is some different experience of life. This is a film which will remain with me all my life. I will always think of Chhoti, of Banaras and of all moments in film. Gupta, who will be seen in Akshay Kumar-starrer Sooryavanshi', has her plate full with good projects and she wants to do role of a female cop in future.

In Indian entertainment industry, w is time that good content is being me. It's amazing. It's a golden period for actors right w in India. Some amazing work is happening, she said.

On screening of movie, Khanna told sources that his work being showcased at UN is one of highest compliments and he is proud that through film, re can be a conversation about widows, ir empowerment, street children, girls' education, trans and equal rights. 

movie aims to bring a reform in a society where sometimes we are stuck in old tritions but we need to make way for new ones. We should call out tritions which are suppressing people because everyone has a right to live and love, Khanna said, ding that movie is a tribute to countless widows who lived and died a colorless life. Color is a symbol of diversity and spring, he ded.

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Promela Suri, Spice-Indian Club President, said movie, which is most organic work of Khanna's life, is a simple story of love and friendship, capturing richness of India and occasion is a celebration of women. 

club said screening aims to raise awareness to end all forms of discrimination against women and girls everywhere and to achieve equality and empower women and girls under Sustainable Development Goals of UN.

film's teaser was unveiled at Cannes Film Festival last year and has traveled to more than 50 film festivals across world, including New York Indian Film Festival, 13th Annual Dallas International Film Festival, annual Palm Springs International Film Festival and Austin-based South Asian film festival Indie Meme Film Festival.

star chef took to his Twitter with a gratitude-filled caption and video, take a look:

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