Actor-producer Aamir Khan will attend a special screening of Lagaan in Melbourne on July 9 to mark the film's 25th anniversary, launching celebrations for the 17th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne a month ahead of the festival's main dates.
The 17th edition of the festival will run from August 13-23. The curtain raiser will take place at ACMI, where Khan will officially launch this year's festival alongside the anniversary screening of Lagaan.
Released in 2001 and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India is set in a drought-stricken village in colonial India, where farmers facing a punishing land tax challenge British officers to a cricket match, with the outcome determining whether the tax is doubled or abolished.
The film starred Khan alongside Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne. A.R. Rahman composed the music with lyrics by Javed Akhtar.
Lagaan was the third Indian film to receive an Academy Awards nomination in the category then known as Best Foreign Language Film.
Its 25th anniversary is also being celebrated at the 17th edition of the London Indian Film Festival in July, where Khan is scheduled to make a separate appearance tied to the milestone.
“The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne has always celebrated stories that have made a lasting impact on audiences, and there could not have been a better way to begin our 17th edition than by celebrating 25 years of Lagaan,” festival director Mitu Bhowmick Lange told Variety.
“The film is a milestone in Indian cinema and continues to inspire generations of filmmakers and audiences around the world. We are delighted to welcome Aamir Khan to Melbourne for this special celebration and look forward to presenting another memorable edition of the festival that brings together the very best of Indian cinema,” Bhowmick added.