Actor and producer Aamir Khan will be attending a special screening of Lagaan in Melbourne on July 9 to mark the film’s 25th anniversary and kick off the 17th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) a month ahead of the main dates.
The 17th IFFM will be held from August 13th to 23rd. The opening ceremony will be held at Melbourne’s ACMI Cinema, where director Khan will officially kick off this year’s festival celebrations alongside the commemorative screening.
Lagaan was the third Indian film to be nominated for an Academy Award in what was then known as Best Foreign Language Film, and remains one of the most influential titles in Indian film history. The film’s 25th anniversary is being celebrated elsewhere this year, with Khan making a separate appearance at the 17th London Indian Film Festival in July to mark the milestone of Lagaan.
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India, released in 2001 and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, is set in a drought-stricken village in colonial India, where farmers facing a punitive land tax challenge an occupying British officer to a game of cricket, with the outcome determining whether the tax will be doubled or abolished entirely. The film starred Khan alongside Gracie Shinn, Rachel Shelley, and Paul Blackthorne.
Supported by the Victorian Government, IFFM has over the years hosted some of the biggest names in Indian cinema including Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, AR Rahman, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rani Mukherjee, Ram Charan, Vijay Sethupati, Vicky Kaushal, Vijay Varma and Keerthy Suresh, as well as filmmakers Rajkumar Hirani, Shoojit Sircar and Anjali. Menon, Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, Zoya Akhtar, Rima Das, Onir, Kabir Khan.
“The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne has always celebrated stories that have had a lasting impact on audiences, and what better way to celebrate our 17th edition than by celebrating the 25th anniversary of Lagaan,” said festival director Mitu Bhowmik Lange. “This film is a milestone in Indian cinema and continues to inspire generations of filmmakers and audiences around the world. We are delighted to welcome Aamir Khan to Melbourne for this special celebration and look forward to delivering another monumental festival of the best of Indian cinema.”
Now in its 17th year, the event will feature a wide range of film screenings, premieres, conversations, masterclasses, cultural events and more, bringing together filmmakers, actors, industry professionals and film enthusiasts from around the world.
