Filmmaker Sai Paranjpye and Bollywood actress-turned- filmmaker Pooja Bhatt on Wednesday threw open the second edition of India's biggest lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender (LGBT) event - Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival - in a star-studded red carpet event at Cinemax Versova.

``Kashish has really taken root and can today loudly and proudly proclaim that it will be an annual event that will be part of the cultural life of Mumbai, '' said Sai Paranjpye, adding, ``People are getting used to the gay way of life.''

``Indian society is getting over its prudishness and is a far cry from the time that sex was not discussed and homosexuality was not even in the closet but brushed under the carpet, '' said Paranjpye.

``Film is the potent of all visual mediums and and films at Kashish should not just be restricted to the festival but also be available for general viewing, '' she added.

``Let us have more forums like Kashish, '' said Pooja Bhatt as she exhorted the LGBT community to ``come out and speak out''.

``Why should you ask for equal rights - demand it, grab it, '' the actor-turned-director said. Pooja Bhatt recalled the first film that she had produced - Tamanna, which was about a eunuch raising an abandoned girl child. ``I never imagined that the film would one day lead to a festival like this.''

"In a world full of lies, the most revolutionary act is to tell the truth. Every gay man and woman must come out of the closet and claim their rightful life", she said passionately.

Sai Paranjpye lit the traditional lamp to declare the five-day film festival open, while Pooja Bhatt released the festival catalogue.

The opening ceremony started with scintillating performances by Asif Ali Beg and UK-based singer and filmmaker Rikki Beadle-Blair.

``Kashish is a dream, '' said Sridhar Rangayan, Festival director. ``This year we have a huge collection of films from around the world and some stimulating panel discussions in store for the audiences. We have a bigger theatre this year and we want everyone to return every day to watch great queer films ''

Festival director Vivek Aanand said that the USP of KASHISH was ``thoda hatke''. ``This is an overwhelming moment and the opening night performances made me think that the streets of Castro and Sydney had been transported to Mumbai.''

It was an evening to remember as the city's queer community rubbed shoulders with the crème da la crème of Mumbai's social scene. Adman Alyque Padamsee, theatre actors Dolly Thakore and Mona Ambegaonkar, actress Suhasini Mulay and Kim Sharma, actor and Kashish jury member Samir Soni and Karan Mehra, filmmaker Vinta Nanda, playwright Mahesh Dattani and the gay Indian prince Manavendra Singh Gohil mingled with the audience.

The opening ceremony was followed by the screening of the opening movie of the festival – the internationally acclaimed ``Undertow'' from Peru.

Over the next four days 124 films from 23 countries will be screened at two venues – Cinemax-Versova, Andheri West and Alliance Francaise, Marine Lines.

Kashish 2010 was the first mainstream queer film festival held in India. It brought together 110 Indian and international queer films on one platform. KASHISH 2011 promises to be an event to remember for both LGBT and mainstream audiences.

Key Highlights for this year will be:

This year, the ‘Country Focus' will be on Israel with more than 7 films from there

Spotlight on Filmmaker' will shine on US filmmaker Q. Allan Brocka and UK filmmaker Rikki Beadle-Blair with their funny, sexy and thought provoking films. Both the filmmakers are traveling to India for the very first time to be present at KASHISH.

Special package of sensitive, dramatic and touching features and shorts on HIV/AIDS is introduced under ‘Red Ribbon Films' package

The ``competition section'' will showcase films which will be judged by an eminent international jury Panel.

‘Riyad Wadia award for Indian emerging filmmaker' is instituted this year with a cash award of Rs.10, 000.

The Best Indian queer short film at KASHISH gets to compete for the Iris Prize in UK which carries a cash prize of 25, 000 pounds.

The Indian queer landscape is undergoing historic changes: Pride parades in all the metros, the Delhi High Court's landmark verdict on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, re-launch of India's first gay magazine Bombay Dost, the Indian Election Commission's decision to recognize transgender as a separate category – all these have increased queer visibility both in the media and in mainstream society.