For the first time, Indian film personalities, actor Rani Mukerji and filmmaker Karan Johar, will address the Australian Parliament on August 13. They will discuss the role Indian cinema played in bridging cultural and geographical divides, ahead of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.

Talking about this “milestone moment”, Mukerji says she is “proud” to represent the Indian film industry. “It would be an honour for me to speak about the growing cultural ties between Australia and India through cinema,” she says, adding, “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. Our talent and films are making a mark globally.”

Johar, noting the global impact of Indian films, says he’s “thrilled to be a part of this historic event”. “It’s incredible to see how far the stories, we as an industry create, can travel, and this moment is a testament to the growing influence of the cultural impact of Indian cinema,” the 52-year-old adds.