Bollywood actor and filmmaker Aamir Khan will seem in dialog at BFI Southbank on July 16 because the closing gala of the London Indian Film Festival‘s seventeenth version, which runs July 9–19 throughout London, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Bradford.
Khan’s occasion is tied to a twenty fifth anniversary screening of his Academy Award-nominated colonial epic “Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India” at BFI Imax on July 12.
As previously announced, the pageant opens with the European premiere of “52 Blue,” directed by Ali El Arabi (“Captains of Zaatari”) and starring Adil Hussain and Neha Dhupia. The movie screens at BFI Southbank on July 9, adopted by dates in Birmingham, Sheffield and Larger London by July 17.
The Central Gala on July 11 at BFI Southbank reunites the total forged of the Nineties BBC sketch comedy “Goodness Gracious Me,” with Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Nina Wadia, Kulvinder Ghir and Anil Gupta all anticipated onstage.
A restoration additionally anchors this system: the Berlinale 2026-screened “In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones,” directed by Pradip Krishen, receives its U.Ok. premiere in a brand new 4K model at BFI Southbank and HOME Manchester. The 1989 cult movie, set in a Delhi structure faculty within the mid-Nineteen Seventies, was written by and options Booker Prize laureate Arundhati Roy. Initially produced for Indian state broadcaster Doordarshan, it aired as soon as earlier than vanishing from circulation for many years. The restoration, by the Movie Heritage Basis, additionally provides audiences an early glimpse of Shah Rukh Khan, who seems in a small function.
U.Ok. premieres embrace “In Search of the Sky,” directed by Jitank Singh Gurjar and first proven at Toronto, screening in London and Birmingham; and two Bangladeshi movies from the Worldwide Movie Competition of Rotterdam 2026 – Rezwan Shahriar Sumit’s “Master,” winner of the Massive Display screen Competitors at IFFR, and Mejbaur Rahman Sumon’s “Roid” – each premiering on the ICA, London and Midlands Arts Centre.
The pageant’s India’s AI & Movie Future occasion, billed as Europe’s first showcase of Indian movies made with AI as a part of the inventive course of, takes place at BFI Southbank on July 11. Jury choice was overseen by director Shekhar Kapur, with panelists together with Chaitanya Chinchlikar, Arati Kadav, Hardeep Gambhir, Deepa Bhatia and Prateek Arora. The occasion repeats in Manchester on Oct. 2 in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan College.
Different strands embrace the LGBTQIA+ shorts programme Too Desi Too Queer, co-curated by Manchester’s Rainbow Noir; the Satyajit Ray Quick Movie Competitors; and a Brit-Asian Shorts showcase paired with an trade panel, “Creating a New Horizon for British Asian Film Talent – Stronger Together,” held in partnership with Rifco Theatre Firm. Peter Brook’s “The Mahabharata” will obtain Northern premieres in Manchester, Bradford and Sheffield, and a Midlands premiere in Birmingham.
“We are delighted to open our 17th festival with ’52 Blue,’ a riveting and inspirational film about youth finding a way against impossible odds, which seems to wonderfully go against the grain of these despondent times. Further inspiration will come with major In Conversations with legendary trailblazers, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, and Britain’s much loved ‘Goodness Gracious Me’ team, all of whom I am pleased to say are still at the top of their game. Bringing together a glittering box of indie gemstone films from some of the world’s finest film festivals to U.K. premiere at our five-city festival offers a rare treat to our audiences and an opportunity to experience the rich creativity of the world’s most populated region,” stated pageant CEO and Programming Director Cary Rajinder Sawhney.
“As ‘Lagaan’ completes 25 years, it’s hard to put into words what this journey has meant. We made the film with a lot of belief, passion and honesty, never imagining the kind of love it would receive and continue to receive all these years later. I’m truly delighted that this milestone is being celebrated with a screening at the BFI. To see ‘Lagaan’ still connect with audiences across generations and across geographies is very special,” Khan added.
The pageant is backed by the BFI Viewers Initiatives Fund by way of Nationwide Lottery funding, with extra assist from Dell, the British Council, Birmingham Metropolis College and Manchester Metropolitan College.
