MELBOURNE, 28 JULY 2022: To mark India’s 75th Independence Day Cricket icon Kapil Dev and actor Abhishek Bachchan will hoist the Indian tricolor at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM-2022) on 13th August 2022. The flag-raising event will take place in the heart of Melbourne’s Federation Square.
ANI adds: Abhishek, who will be there at the IFFM as one of the key guests, said that it is a huge honor for him. ” It’s a matter of pride for me to hoist the Indian National Flag in the iconic Federation Square. It’s an event where Indians from all across Australia, from all different backgrounds, will come together to celebrate India at 75.
This is a mark of the friendship between Australia and India. To share this platform with Kapil Sir is momentous for me and the event is also a mark of the coming together of Cinema and Cricket, two things that have often united us Indians together. Looking forward to celebrating India, Indians, and the spirit of our country amongst hundreds of people who will be in attendance to celebrate this landmark moment and event,” he said.
Mitu Bhowmik Lange, the festival director, added, “India is completing 75 years of independence and this event is a mark to celebrate this landmark moment. We are ecstatic to have Kapil Dev and Abhishek Bachchan jointly come together this year to do the honors of hoisting the Indian tricolor. It’s a mark of the friendship that our country celebrates with Australia and with these two icons coming together is the perfect amalgamation of cinema and cricket.”
IFFM is set to take place in the Victorian capital from 12-20 August 2022 both in person and stream Australiawide free August 13-30, 2022. Before the world was hit by a pandemic, in 2019 the festival was hosted by the likes of Shahrukh Khan, Arjun Kapoor, Tabu, Vijay Sethupathi, Rima Das, Zoya Akhtar, and Karan Johar amongst others. In 2020 and 2021, the festival was held virtually.
IFFM 2022 will showcase more than 100 critically acclaimed movies, short films, and documentaries. The festival will open with the film, Taapsee Pannu’s Dobaaraa which has been directed by Anurag Kashyap.
