Aamir Khan to Celebrate 25 Years of ‘Lagaan’ at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne Curtain Raiser (EXCLUSIVE)

Actor and producer Aamir Khan will attend a special Melbourne screening of “Lagaan” on July 9 to mark the film’s 25th anniversary, kicking off the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne‘s (IFFM) 17th edition a month ahead of the festival’s main dates.

The 17th edition of IFFM will run from Aug. 13-23. The curtain raiser will be held at ACMI cinema in Melbourne, where Khan will officially launch this year’s festival celebrations alongside the anniversary screening.

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“Lagaan” was the third Indian film to receive an Academy Award nomination in the category then known as Best Foreign Language Film and remains one of the most influential titles in Indian cinema history. The film’s 25th anniversary is being marked elsewhere this year as well: at the London Indian Film Festival’s 17th edition in July, Khan is making a separate appearance tied to the “Lagaan” milestone.

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Released in 2001 and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, “Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India” is set in a drought-stricken village in colonial India, where farmers facing a punishing land tax challenge the occupying British officers to a cricket match, with the outcome determining whether the tax is doubled or scrapped entirely. The film starred Khan alongside Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne.

Backed by the Government of Victoria, IFFM has hosted a roster of major Indian film figures over the years, including Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, A.R. Rahman, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Ram Charan, Vijay Sethupathi, Vicky Kaushal, Vijay Varma and Keerthy Suresh, along with filmmakers Rajkumar Hirani, Shoojit Sircar, Anjali Menon, Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, Zoya Akhtar, Rima Das, Onir and Kabir Khan.

“The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne has always celebrated stories that have made a lasting impact on audiences, and there could not have been a better way to begin our 17th edition than by celebrating 25 years of ‘Lagaan,'” said festival director Mitu Bhowmick Lange. “The 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 presenting another memorable edition of the festival that brings together the very best of Indian cinema.”

The 17th edition will feature an extensive slate of film screenings, premieres, conversations, masterclasses and cultural events bringing together filmmakers, actors, industry professionals and cinema lovers from around the world.

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