MELBOURNE, July 9, 2026 — Bollywood star Aamir Khan was in Melbourne this week for a double celebration: marking 25 years of Lagaan with fans at ACMI and announcing a major India-Australia film, Silkyara 41, inspired by the 2023 Uttarakhand tunnel rescue.
The events come as a curtain-raiser for the 17th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, to be held from 13 to 23 August 2026. The IFFM launch is scheduled for 14 July. Speaking at ACMI, Khan appeared just days after his 5 July wedding in Mumbai to longtime partner and wellness entrepreneur Gauri Spratt. He answered fan questions and reflected on Lagaan’s legacy as the festival honoured the Oscar-nominated film.New India-Australia Film Announced
The next day, Aamir Khan Productions, Mind Blowing Films and Kabir Khan Films announced Silkyara 41, a feature film based on the rescue of 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarakhand, India.
The film will highlight the role of Victorian tunnelling expert Professor Arnold Dix, who was flown in to advise on the rescue.
Written by acclaimed Australian screenwriter Andrew Anastasios (The Water Diviner) and directed by Indian filmmaker Kabir Khan (Bajrangi Bhaijaan, 83), the project is being billed as a landmark co-production.
“It’s a story of courage, resilience, ingenuity and humanity in the face of impossible odds,” Khan said. “It was fitting to announce this on a day that reflects the growing cooperation between India and Australia.”
Kabir Khan said he was drawn to “the deeply human dimension” of the rescue, including the families waiting and the global team that came together.
Prof. Dix said the rescue “was never about one person, but about people from different disciplines, cultures and backgrounds working together with one purpose: to bring the 41 workers home safely.” He added he hoped the film would show “what humanity can achieve when it works together.”
Victorian and Federal Support
Mitu Bhowmick Lange AM, founder and CEO of Mind Blowing Films, called it “a landmark Indo-Australian collaboration and a celebration of the deepening friendship between the two nations.”
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said Victoria was proud to expand its ties with India through creative industries. “This film will help tell a shared story built on family, hard work, community, hope and a love of cinema,” she said.
Federal Home Affairs and Arts Minister Tony Burke said there was “no greater story of Australian and Indian collaboration than _Silkyara 41_” and welcomed it being told on the big screen.
The announcement added to a busy week for Victoria, with PM Narendra Modi also visiting Melbourne, and IFFM 2026 set to launch next week.
