Unlike last year, superstar Amitabh Bachchan seems to be hogging headlines for staying away from the International Film Festival of India rather than for being a part of it this time.

According to sources, the Big B had been present in Goa on Thursday for a "private function" but chose to stay away from the inaugural function of the 36th edition of the film festival. However, Goa Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane today refused to confirm any such reports.

"I am not aware whether Bachchan was in Goa on the day of the IFFI inauguration. Perhaps, he will be here in the coming days," Rane told reporters here.

Official sources shad earlier revealed that the Goa government had invited the superstar to inaugurate the film festival.

However, the Central government reportedly put a spanner in the works by projecting Bachchan's links with the Samajwadi Party, forcing the state government to drop its plans.

As a part of last-minute damage control measures, octogenarian actor Dev Anand, who had also inaugurated the film festival in 1999, was roped in to do the honours.

The Chief Minister also did not disclose whether he had personally invited the Big B for the IFFI inauguration.

"I am not aware of any controversy. We had invited everybody," Rane said adding some things were under the purview of the Central government.