The 10th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) began on Thursday morning in Melbourne, Australia.
Taking charge of the event, Mitu Bhowmick Lange, director of the festival, introduced the programs of the festival. In attendance were Indian film personalities Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar, Vijay Sethupathi, Tabu, Sriram Raghavan, Rima Das, Arjun Kapoor, Zoya Akhtar and others.
Khan, the guest of honour at the festival, said, “Many years ago in 2006-07, I came here when I was a rising superstar giving hit films after hit films. And now I am back here again, still a rising superstar not making as many hit films (chuckles).”
Karan Johar held forth on the transforming landscape of Indian cinema. He said, “When I see this fantastic panel and we say the theme is courage, I say the panel is reflective of the glorious courage of our films and changing face of Indian cinema. It represents three feature films that have changed the way we look at Indian cinema and how it has travelled across the globe and will continue to do so. There is Super Deluxe, Andhadhun and Gully Boy. All of these have appealed not only to the diaspora but to international audiences across the globe, making Indian cinema so proud.”
The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne will go on from August 8 to August 15. The festival will screen over 60 films from all across India and the subcontinent in over 22 languages. Film aficionados will also interact with their favourite artistes and pose questions at panel discussions and Q&A sessions post each screening.