15th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne: Rani Mukerji, Karan Johar to address Australian Parliament House
The 15th Indian Film Festival will take place in Melbourne on August 13, Rani Mukerji and Karan Johar will speak before the Australian Parliament.
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FollowRani Mukerji and Karan Johar will give a keynote speech at the Australian Parliament House on August 13. This coveted accolade comes ahead of the 15th annual Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), which begins on August 15th. According to Variety, the two superstars will discuss 'cinema's ability to span cultures and unify audiences across geographical barriers. The two celebrities were invited following the recent co-production agreement between India and Australia.
In a statement, Mukerji said, "I’m proud to represent the Indian film fraternity at the Australian Parliament House and speak about the rich history of cinema that we have offered to the world at large. This is a milestone moment for our fraternity, and it would be an honour for me to speak about the growing cultural ties between Australia and India through cinema (sic).”
She further added, "Indian cinema comprising Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Hindi and others, is right now at the forefront of shaping pop culture worldwide with our talent, our films making a mark globally. Our films bring a lot of joy to the world, our films bring a lot of colour in people’s lives (sic)."
Karan Johar stated that he was 'deeply honoured to be invited for the prestigious event'. He said, "I am thrilled to be a part of this historic event and to celebrate the incredible journey of Indian cinema (sic)."
He further added, "It’s incredible to see how far the stories we as an industry create travels, and this moment is a testament to the growing influence of the cultural impact of Indian cinema. I’m grateful to the house, the members of the parliament for extending this invite and to have me represent the rich legacy of cinema and storytelling (sic)."
Rani Mukerji and Karan Johar will address parliamentarians, ministers, and other dignitaries. Mitu Bhowmik Lange, IFFM festival director, stated that the participation of the two superstars 'is a tribute to the festival's expanding importance and renown.'
The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne begins on August 15 and runs till August 25.
