New Delhi: Rani Mukerji and Karan Johar will create history on August 13 as they are set to give a keynote presentation at the Australian Parliament House. Prior to the start of the 15th annual Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) on August 15, this momentous occasion will take place.
The invitation extended to these two renowned Indian film stars is a testimony to the deepening cultural links between Australia and India, which have been further solidified by the recent signing of a co-production pact. Variety states that Rani Mukerji and Karan Johar would talk on 'cinema's power to bridge cultures and unite audiences across geographical boundaries'.
At the Australian Parliament House, Rani Mukerji spoke about the rich heritage of Indian cinema and expressed her delight in representing Indian cinema on such a renowned stage. She said in a statement, "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.”
She 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."
Rani further brought attention to the world-wide impact of Indian cinema. She added, "Indian cinema, which includes 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,”
Karan Johar Talks About Cultural Effect of Indian Film
Sharing her enthusiasm at the occasion, Karan Johar said, "I am thrilled to be a part of this historic event and to celebrate the incredible journey of Indian cinema. It’s incredible to see how far the stories we as an industry create travel, 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."
From August 15th through the 25th, Melbourne will play host to the Indian Film Festival, an annual event that has showcased the cultural variety and splendour of Indian cinema for many years.