Rekha’s flag-raising, candid celebrity conversations and a glittering awards night defined the 17th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, which brought Indian and South Asian cinema to audiences across the city.
MELBOURNE, 17 August 2026: The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), a publicly and privately funded celebration of Indian cinema, once again attracted Bollywood enthusiasts, serious film lovers, celebrity seekers and curious onlookers to the city in August.
Curated by Mitu Bhowmick Lange and now in its 17th year, the festival featured established stars, emerging actors and films in several Indian and South Asian languages. The programme included a star-studded media conference, an awards night at the Palais Theatre in St Kilda, conversations with actors from streaming series, the annual Indian Independence Day flag-raising at Federation Square and a dance competition featuring local groups.
At the day-one press conference on 13 August, actors from India’s southern and northern film industries, directors and other cinema professionals responded candidly to questions from the media. I asked a general question, answered by Nikkhil Advani, director of the series Freedom at Midnight:
The diaspora audience embraced the festival despite a disruption during the flag-raising ceremony at Federation Square. A group of about 15 demonstrators opposed the raising of the Indian flag, broadcasting loud announcements and music as VIPs, ethnic media representatives and organisers confronted the unexpected but peaceful protest.
The large Indian crowd remained calm as the disruption subsided. The episode unfolded against a broader debate about “mono-culture” and multiculturalism, the latter being Australia’s official policy narrative.
The ceremony proceeded as the crowd chanted “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” — “Hail Mother India” — while actor Rekha raised the Indian tricolour. In an emotional speech, the 71-year-old actor, who was formerly a nominated member of India’s upper house, the Rajya Sabha, candidly admitted that it was the first time she had unfurled the Indian flag.
Mitu Bhowmick Lange and other actors joined Rekha on stage, followed by local politicians. The flag-raising was followed by a dance competition judged by Malaika Arora and Manushi Chhillar, which showcased the talent of local performers.
Nearby restaurants, including Flora Indian Restaurant and Desi Dhaba, benefited as the festival’s focus shifted to conversations at The Edge, moderated by Rajeev Masand. Four one-hour sessions followed the demanding dance competition. Although some of the discussions were slow-moving, the conversations with Pankaj Tripathi and Rani Mukerji provided much-needed energy.
Speaking in Hindi, Mirzapur actor Pankaj Tripathi discussed the OTT viewing experience, describing it as an individual activity shaped by changing audience habits. Rani Mukerji spoke about her women-centred roles and the early-life influences that have informed her choice of characters.
The 108-page festival booklet contains comprehensive information about the Indian cinema experience in Australia. It also reflects the speed of Victorian politics. By the time the festival began, Ben Carroll had become Victoria’s new premier, replacing Jacinta Allan, who had succeeded three-time election winner Daniel Andrews. However, the booklet still carried a “Message from the Premier” from Allan.
This appears to have been a timing issue rather than an intentional omission, illustrating how quickly political events can overtake printed publications. Carroll became Victoria’s premier on 28 July 2026 after Allan resigned.
Tailpiece
The approximately four-hour awards night, held at the Palais Theatre in St Kilda on the evening of 13 August, was a full-house event attended by Rani Mukerji and many other film-industry figures.
But Rekha stole the show. Beautifully choreographed dances in the style of Umrao Jaan, followed by her acceptance speech after receiving the Excellence in Cinema award, set the tone for the festival’s blend of mainstream entertainment and art-house cinema.
