Aamir Khan to Mark 25 Years of ‘Lagaan’ with Special Screening at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne
In a major event for international cinema enthusiasts, acclaimed Bollywood actor and producer Aamir Khan is set to travel to Australia to celebrate the milestone 25th anniversary of his landmark sports-drama Lagaan. Khan will headline a special screening of the Oscar-nominated film in Melbourne on July 9, serving as the official curtain-raiser for the 17th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM). The exclusive event will kick off festivities a month ahead of the main festival, which is scheduled to run from August 13 to August 23.
Originally released to critical acclaim, Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India remains one of the most defining achievements in modern Indian cinema. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and produced under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions, the Victorian-era epic seamlessly blended the high stakes of cricket with a gripping narrative of peasant resilience against oppressive British colonial tax policies. The film achieved massive commercial success and culminated in India’s third-ever Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, securing its place in global film history. Celebrating its legacy in Melbourne is highly symbolic, given Australia’s deep-rooted passion for cricket and its thriving South Asian diaspora.
A Cultural Bridge Between India and Australia
The curtain-raiser is expected to draw significant attention from film critics, dignitaries, and fans alike, highlighting IFFM’s growing status as the southern hemisphere's largest annual celebration of Indian cinema. Over the years, the festival has become a key cultural bridge, consistently attracting premier talent from the Indian subcontinent to Victorian shores.
The special July screening will feature an interactive Q&A session with Khan, offering audiences a rare, behind-the-scenes look into the grueling production, the film's iconic soundtrack composed by A.R. Rahman, and its enduring impact on global filmmaking. Organizers note that hosting Khan for this retrospective not only honors a cinematic masterpiece but also sets an ambitious tone for the diverse lineup of features, documentaries, and shorts scheduled for the main festival in August.