Winner of Melbourne Awards 2016 | Winner of Most Popular Indian Film Festival Abroad 2017
IFFM Guests
Abhijat Joshi
The writer behind successful blockbusters like Lage Raho Munnabhai, 3 Idiots and PK. Abhijat comes from a literature background and is a professor in the English department at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. Together with Rajkumar Hirani, he is responsible for some path-breaking bollywood cinema. Their latest collaboration is the blockbuster hit - biopic on controversy’s poster boy, actor Sanjay Dutt titled, Sanju. He was also the writer for the English-language film Broken Horses, a remake of Parinda, starring Vincent D’Onofrio. He currently resides in Central Ohio with his family and boy does he have an effect on the Indian pop-culture from afar!
Ali Fazal
The current sensation of Bollywood and Hollywood, Ali Fazal has an impressive body of work that has catapulted him to international stardom. With films like Fukrey, Sonali Cable and Happy Bhag Jayegi, Ali proved his mettle as an actor in bollywood. By sharing screen space with Dame Judi Dench in ‘Victoria and Abdul’ in the titular role of Abdul, Ali has been the subject of every actor’s envy and the pride of the Indian acting fraternity.Meet Ali Fazal on
Saturday, August 11, at Panel discussion at Deakin Edge, Federation Square at 5:00 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Saturday, August 11, at Panel discussion at Deakin Edge, Federation Square at 5:00 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Avtar Panesar
Avtar serves as the Vice President of International Operations at Yash Raj Films Pvt Ltd. and is responsible for popularising content distributed by YRF in key diaspora markets abroad. Prior to joining YRF, Avtar worked with HMV/EMI Records London and grew to key positions there. His deep passion for movies is even reflected in his business card, the back of which reads: “Films forever…” A self-described family person, he deeply values the time he spends with them.
Freida Pinto
The regal Indian beauty who rose to International prominence through her debut performance in the 2008 British drama Slumdog Millionaire. A talent who was bestowed with the Breakthrough Performance Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and nominated for various awards at the British Academy Film Awards, the MTV Movie Awards and the Teen Choice Awards. Her biggest commercial success came with the 2011 science fiction film, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Pinto received major attention for portraying the title character in Michael Winterbottom's Trishna (2011) and her performance in the biographical drama Desert Dancer (2014) received critical acclaim. A fierce promoter of humanitarian causes and women's rights, Ms. Pinto is truly a global ambassador for women working in film.Meet Freida on
Friday, August 10, at our Opening Night Film , Love Sonia at HOYTS Melbourne Central at 7:00 pm.
Saturday, August 11, at Panel discussion at Deakin Edge, Federation Square at 5:00 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Friday, August 10, at our Opening Night Film , Love Sonia at HOYTS Melbourne Central at 7:00 pm.
Saturday, August 11, at Panel discussion at Deakin Edge, Federation Square at 5:00 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Keerthy Suresh
Keerthy Suresh who recently delivered a power packed performance in the highly acclaimed blockbuster film Mahanati; will be our guest at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2018. The ravishing actress has been demonstrating her acting talent on celluloid since the early 2000’s. Keerthy Suresh’s remarkable success deserves all praise as her determination and hard work in reel and real- life is by far commendable. Hailing from the film fraternity, she is all about cinema and her critical and box office success substantiate the latter. The talented actor to no surprise has taken the all the light for her acting prowess.
Malaika Arora
Malaika Arora Khan needs no introduction. A Model, Actress, Dancer, VJ, Judge; Malaika Arora Khan is all talents rolled into one and more. Her first moment in the sun came when she starred as a VJ with MTV India and since then there’s been no stopping this power-packed, multi-talented diva. A fashionista in her own league, Malaika is known for her scintillating dance numbers, her charm, elegance, wit and her passion for fitness and women’s health. Words do not do justice to this enigmatic and multi-talented personality.
Mrunal Thakur
Mrunal Thakur is an emerging talent who hails from the world of TV. Having debuted in Marathi cinema, Mrunal was quick to catch the eye of filmmaker Tabrez Noorani and bagged the titular role of Sonia in the IFFM’s opening night film ‘Love Sonia’. She is a beauty with lots of talents and she is here to stay and entertain us with her moving performances.Meet Mrunal Thakur on
Friday, August 10, at our Opening Night Film, Love Sonia at HOYTS Melbourne Central at 7:00 pm.
Friday, August 10, at our Opening Night Film, Love Sonia at HOYTS Melbourne Central at 7:00 pm.
Nag Ashwin
One of the most exciting filmmaking talents to grace Telugu cinema in recent years, Nag Ashwin has worked on some of the most successful films since he began his career. Ashwin made his independent directorial debut with the coming-of-age drama film Yevade Subramanyam, that gave him much deserved commercial success; and won him the Nandi Award for Best First Film of a Director. Ashwin made biographical drama film Mahanati - the most critically acclaimed films of 2018 as we followed one of India's first female superstars. The epic film is the biography of Savitri, an actress from the South Indian movie industry, who ruled for two decades during 50s and 60s. Join him with the Mahanati team as they come to IFFM 2018 to celebrate its making and success!
Namrata Singh Gujral
A successful film producer, director, actor and motivational speaker, Gujral focus solely on entertainment projects that carry strong humanitarian angles. Gujral’s recent directorial venture 5 Weddings starring Nargis Fakhri, Rajkummar Rao, Oscar nominee Candy Clark and Golden Globe nominee Bo Derek will be screened at the IFFM 2018. Honored as one of their “Remarkable Women” by Lifetime TV making her the first Indian-American to join the ranks of other notables such as Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton for her work as filmmaker on Warner Bros “1 a Minute” starring Olivia Newton-John, Melissa Etheridge, Deepak Chopra, Lisa Ray, Mumtaz, Jaclyn Smith, Barbara Mori and Billy Baldwin. Gujral has been recognized for her creative and commercial expertise on co-productions between Hollywood and Bollywood.
Onir
A true auteur, Onir is an acclaimed director , screenwriter, editor and producer. He is known for his successful films like My brother...Nikhil and I am. The films are a testament to Onir’s narrative range and continual quest to explore human connection and relationships. A national award winner and the director of multi award winning documentary Raising the Bar, he will be joining us again this year to present the screening of his recent film Kuch Bheegey Alfaaz.
Prakash Kunte
A film director, Prakash is noted for his work in Marathi cinema. Having started his career as an assistant director with Satrangi Re in 2012, already has four films under his belt. Prakash Kunte’s films often revolve around and boil down to an important situation that becomes the crux of the story, as can be witnessed in his film Cycle screening at IFFM 2018. Meet the man himself for an exciting Q&A session at the screening of his wonderful film Cycle.
Rajeev Masand
Rajeev Masand is one of India’s best known film critics and entertainment reporters. Having started his long career with The Times of India newspaper at the young age of sixteen, Masand has continuously broken new ground in the entertainment industry and paved new vistas for future film critics. His illustrious list of interviewees include big names like Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, Guy Ritchie, and M Night Shyamalan to name a few. His impressive work as a film critic has earned him three awards for ‘Best Entertainment Critic’ from the National Television Awards as he continues to go about his job with a passionate affection for cinema.
Rajkumar Hirani
Mr. Hirani is widely regarded as one of the most successful and critically acclaimed filmmakers of the 21st century Hindi cinema. A man who can single handedly lay claim to have changed the course of mainstream Indian entertainment for good. Hirani is known for directing films like Munna Bhai M.B.B.S (2003), Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006), 3 Idiots (2009) and PK (2014). Apart from all his films being huge commercial successes and winning numerous awards, they leave a mark on the audience who’ve loved and embraced his work of genius. In true Batman spirit, he is the storyteller we need and deserve.Meet Rajkumar Hirani on
Saturday, August 11, at Panel discussion at Deakin Edge, Federation Square at 9:30 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Saturday, August 11, at Panel discussion at Deakin Edge, Federation Square at 9:30 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Rani Mukerji
Think of Gold standards of Acting and you’ll think of Rani Mukerji! The effortlessness of her craft not only amazes her fellow actors but also makes her the subject of their envy. With path-breaking performances in films like Black, Yuva, Hey Ram and Mardaani, Rani has often broken the glass ceiling and forged a unique path for herself. With her recent smash-hit Hichki, Rani proves once again that she is truly the reigning queen of Bollywood. Once in a millenium do we come across an actor of such caliber, influence and versatility. Rani Mukherjee, the name is enough to raise an applause and admiration.Meet Rani Mukerji on
Saturday, August 11, at Panel discussion at Deakin Edge, Federation Square at 6:30 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Saturday, August 11, at Panel discussion at Deakin Edge, Federation Square at 6:30 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Richa Chadha
She is Gen-Now of bollywood! In a career spanning 10 years, Richa Chadha has managed to capture the imagination of the audience and carve a special place for herself in this vast expanse of Bollywood. Blending sensitive portrayals with solid craft in a mainstream bollywood movie is her thing. With films like Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, Masaan, Gangs of Wasseypur, Fukrey; Richa’s body of work reads elegance, effortlessness and brilliance all over it.Meet Richa Chadha on
Friday, August 10, at our Opening Night Film, Love Sonia at HOYTS Melbourne Central at 7:00 pm.
Saturday, August 11, at Panel discussion at Deakin Edge, Federation Square at 6:00 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Friday, August 10, at our Opening Night Film, Love Sonia at HOYTS Melbourne Central at 7:00 pm.
Saturday, August 11, at Panel discussion at Deakin Edge, Federation Square at 6:00 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Shibasish Sarkar
Shibasish is a media and entertainment industry professional with over 20 years of corporate experience and the current Group COO of Reliance Entertainment, the flagship motion picture arm of India’s Reliance group. He is responsible for the entertainment vertical comprising film, gaming, digital and new media businesses. Being part of the senior leadership team, he serves as a board member with various Reliance group companies. Prior to joining Reliance Entertainment in 2007, he worked with UTV, Percept Picture and Viacom 18. In addition to sharing the latest entertainment news on social media, he also spends time raising awareness of causes he believes in.
Simi Garewal
Synonymous with TV and cinema, Simi Garewal has become a living legend throughout Indian households for her work both on and behind the silver screen. After swiftly landing her first acting role in the English language film ‘Tarzan Goes to India’ (1962) Garewal’s career skyrocketed towards success as she wrote, directed and starred in a variety of acclaimed films. As of late, Simi is most recognisable for her anchoring role on the trend-setting talk show ‘Rendezvous with Simi Garewal’. Simi is also a member of the jury for this year’s festival.Meet Simi Garewal on
Saturday, August 11, at HOYTS Chadstone, at the Screening of Siddhartha where she will give you a unique insight into the Artsist, the Man and the Legend that was Shashi Kapoor at 5:00 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Saturday, August 11, at HOYTS Chadstone, at the Screening of Siddhartha where she will give you a unique insight into the Artsist, the Man and the Legend that was Shashi Kapoor at 5:00 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Tabrez Noorani
After growing up in Mumbai with a prominent film director for an uncle and going to film school in LA, Noorani focused on directing commercials and shooting projects in India. This background and Noorani’s passion for filmmaking made him a big asset for filmmakers wanting to work and shoot in India. Love Sonia is his first major directorial project - a film that promises to be a breathtakingly honest look at the global sex trade, set in India, Hong Kong and Los Angeles.Meet Tabrez Noorani on
Friday, August 10, at our Opening Night Film, Love Sonia at HOYTS Melbourne Central at 7:00 pm.
Saturday, August 11, at Panel discussion at Deakin Edge. Federation Square at 5:00 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Friday, August 10, at our Opening Night Film, Love Sonia at HOYTS Melbourne Central at 7:00 pm.
Saturday, August 11, at Panel discussion at Deakin Edge. Federation Square at 5:00 pm.
Sunday, August 12, at Westpac IFFM Awards Night, at Palais theatre at 6:30 pm.
Friday, August 10, 07.00 PM | HOYTS Melbourne Central | Screening of Love Sonia
Taran Adarsh
Taran Adarsh is an accomplished film critic, journalist, editor and film trade analyst of great repute. Critiquing his first film at just 15, Taran was bound for the business, proceeding to become a producer and screenwriter for Hello Bollywood and Fox. In 2007, Taran began hosting a talk show called B Biz where he analyses box office reports and entertainment industry reviews.
Tillotama Shome
Tillotama Shome is a thespian actor best known for her work in Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding. Her stellar work in ‘A Death in the Gunj’ won her the Best supporting actor award at the 63 Filmfare awards. A versatile practitioner of the craft, Tillotama is a seasoned actress based out of Mumbai.
Vicky Kaushal
Vicky Kaushal is an Indian actor best known for his breakout role as Deepak Chaudhary in Masaan. Since then, he has delivered great performances showcasing his range as an actor: from his darkly disturbing turn in Raman Raghav 2.0 to his nuanced portrayal of a Pakistani army officer in Raazi. Featured in the Forbes India 30 under 30 2018 list, he has come a long way since his days as a struggling actor in Mumbai.Nominated at Westpac IFFM’s Awards for Best Supporting Performance category, for his role as ‘Kamli’ in the superhit film Sanju, Vicky is a recent heartthrob of tinsel town!