Indian Film Festival in Melbourne celebrated with much fanfare

The Indian Film Festival 2022 was held in Melbourne from August 12th through August 20th.

Each year the festival brings the biggest names from Bollywood, and as the festival was viewed online the last couple of years due to COVID, this year the festival returned to Melbourne with a star studded line-up.

The Indian Film Festival in Melbourne has been my annual pilgrimage since 2017.  The festival returning to Melbourne was something I knew I was not going to miss, and I took my dancing shoes, excitement and expectations to Melbourne for the start of the festival.  As always, the festival director, Mitu Bhowmick Lange, put up a solid set of guests for the festival.  This year notables were Abhishek Bachchan, Shefali Shah,  Vaani Kapoor, Taapsee Pannu, Anurag Kashyap, Kabir Khan, Mohit Raina, Nikkhil Advani, Kapil Dev and many more.

The festival opened up on August 12th with a media press conference at the picturesque 360 degrees views of Melbourne at 55 Collins Street.  The ambiance was unlike any other, with everyone happy to be back travelling post pandemic and you could just feel the excitement in the air.  As the interview process started, I was not going to miss the chance to speak with Abhishek Bachchan and he didn’t disappoint.  As a lot of actors are turning to OTT platforms, my discussion with Abhishek took us through to a new upcoming season of Breathe: Into the Shadows.  If speaking with Abhishek Bachchan wasn’t enough, I struck up a great conversation with the beautiful Vaani Kapoor.  As Delhi girls, we both had a lot to talk about but my focus was on her breakthrough roles she chooses that put her ahead of the rest of the pack.

The festival takes over various venues in Melbourne.  The opening night was at Hoyts Docklands and that is where the festival officially opened to the general public as we lit up the ceremonial lamp to begin the festival followed right by the festival director’s welcome message.  The significance of the ceremonial lamp is to bring warmth, positivity and light which was a recurring theme throughout the festival.  This followed up with the screening of the ground-breaking thriller film starring Taapsee Pannu and directed by master filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s, Dobaaraa.  After the film, there was a Q&A with the brilliant minds behind the film giving us insights on the making of the film and also  how the trend in Bollywood is shifting and audiences are craving for wide array of topics.

If opening day press conference and the premier of Taapsee Pannu’s Dobaaraa was any indication of what was to come, it was going to be celebrations of India’s 75^th Independence Day.  Melbourne is arguably the capital city when it comes to having the most Indian migrants in an Australian city.  The crowds came in bulk to witness the flag hoisting by none other than Indian Cricket legend Kapil Dev and Bollywood superstar Abhishek Bachchan as they hoisted the tricolour at the iconic Federation Square in the heart of Melbourne.  If that wasn’t enough, the Dance competition was what was needed to overcome the Melbourne wintry blues.  The panel of judges included the pan-Indian star Tamannaah Bhatia, singer Sona Mohapatra and 2020 Miss Universe Australia Maria Thattil.  The jury had their hands full as the crowd looked on and saw many dance performances that made deciding the winner almost impossible.  The atmosphere was nostalgic as the crowd was dancing to beats from almost every corner of India, and a special surprise when Sona Mohapatra took the stage and captivated the audience with her lyrics.  The crowd was then treated to Indian cinema by watching, 83; the journey leading the Indian National Cricket Team to victory in 1983 World Cup directed by Kabir Khan.

While Federation Square was rocking, there was by far my favourite event of the festival happening across the bridge at The Arts Centre.  The intimate conversations led by moderator and film critic Rajeev Masand is one that I make sure I never miss.  The afternoon is spent listening to some of our favourite mainstream Bollywood Actors, Producers and Directors.  The afternoon kicked off with one of my favourite actresses Shefali Shah and the Jalsa team.  It is safe to say that Indian cinema is making giant strides towards diverse, inclusive and complex storytelling through these trailblazing films.

As the world evolves, we have ushered in many changes in the industry, one of them is how streaming services have become a new way of watching cinema.  As filmmakers focus on highly nuanced and complex stories steeped in realism and they tackle themes such as pride, disability, and much more.  We have seen a huge transformation as with OTT platforms the industry moves toward independent productions and evolving stories that were never touched before.  To help us talk through the transition Rajeev Masand had a conversation with Tamannaah Bhatia, Nikkhil Advani the director of 26/11, Shoojit Sircar the director of Sardar Udham and the Joyland team.  It is safe to say that OTT platforms are here to stay and if anything, it has opened doors for many writers, directors and producers to let the general public hear their stories.

How lucky were we for the next segment of the chats as Actress Vaani Kapoor taking centre stage.  It was incredible to see this mainstream actress break conventions by playing a strong trans dance teacher in Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui and then going to her next blockbuster Shamshera, where she displayed her versatility and her acting prowess.  As she proves herself as one of the most exciting actresses in India by choosing unexpected roles and leaving everyone in awe with her dance moves, it was a fantastic conversation with her as we uncovered her amazing career thus far.  It was even better for me as we had shared several moments backstage and I really got a chance to know Vaani up, close and personal which reaffirmed my stance, which is that she is a superstar in the making.

As the Saturday festivities came to a close, IFFM definitely saved the best for last.  The Indian mega star, Abhishek Bachchan took the stage as we discussed his award-winning performances, his status in the film industry and his loveable personality that has been praised by audiences and critics throughout his career.  Always dressed to impressed, I was in awe with his fashion sense at the same time his lovely personality.  He spoke to the audience genuinely and taught us that there is no job too big or small when it comes to acting.  His struggles that he faced were real despite being the Son of Amitabh Bachchan, there were no shortcuts.

The evening came to an end with interviews, and I was lucky enough to have some exclusive time with these stars.  I had the luxury to share coffee, laughs and smiles with these industry professionals, and making memories that will definitely last a lifetime as I make my way through this huge industry we call Bollywood.

Opening weekend was coming to an end, but not before clearly the most anticipated night of the festival; the Awards show.  Picture coming up to Palais Theatre in St Kilda, and you can hear the drums, trumpets and see the glitz & glamour as stars make their way through the Red Carpet.  Yes, it was pure nostalgia and that cold windy chilly Melbourne night was heated up as everyone dressed to impress.  The packed theatre had loads of surprises, performances and emotions that you just had to be there to feel.  Shefali Shah took home the Best Actress Award for Jalsa, Ranveer Singh was the Best Actor for portraying living Cricket Legend Kapil Dev in ‘83.  Vaani Kapoor took home the Disruptor award for her ground breaking roles in movies that only the bold can achieve, and lastly the Leadership in cinema award for Abhishek Bachchan was timely for the work that he has done in the Industry and continues to do.

Overall, my visit to IFFM 2022 far exceeded my expectations.  Watching Melbourne transform into mini Bollywood for 8 days was something out of a movie.  As part of the entertainment industry hype is created, but IFFM proved once again that hype can be organic.  As we look at 2023 and what the festival will look like, it is only fitting that I choose to live in the moment.

Special credits: Actor Simran Gulati