Sir Ben Kingsley, who shot to fame portraying Mahatma Gandhi in the movie Gandhi will be present at the inaugural function of International Film Festival of India (IFFI), 2009, officials said.

Goa Chief Secretary Sanjay Srivastava told reporters that Kingsley will be present as a guest for the inaugural function which will be held at Kala Academy in Panaji on November 23.

Kingsley has to his credit four major motion picture awards including Oscars, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Ambika Soni, will inaugurate the 11-day film extravaganza.

The state government-run Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), a body which co-hosts the festival in Goa in association with Directorate of Film Festival (DFF), held a meeting to review the preparations today.