Aamir Khan to Mark 25 Years of ‘Lagaan’ With London Film Festival Screening
Mumbai — Aamir Khan will help celebrate 25 years of “Lagaan” at this year’s London Indian Film Festival, where the Oscar-nominated film will be screened at the BFI IMAX on July 12, 2026.
The colonial-era sports drama, one of Indian cinema’s most internationally recognized films, will be part of a broader festival program that includes an onstage conversation with Khan, a “Goodness Gracious Me” reunion, Europe’s first Indian AI and film showcase, and several U.K. premieres of independent features and shorts.
Khan will appear at the festival’s Closing Gala at BFI Southbank on July 16 for a special conversation tied to the film’s anniversary. The session will focus on the making of “Lagaan” as well as his wider career, from his early work as a child actor to his rise as one of Hindi cinema’s biggest global stars.
“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 said.
The festival will open with “52 Blue,” a coming-of-age drama directed by award-winning filmmaker Ali El Arabi. The film stars Adil Hussain and Neha Dhupia, who are expected to attend the screenings with the director.
Cary Rajinder Sawhney, CEO and programming director of the London Indian Film Festival, said the anniversary screening of “Lagaan” would be one of the festival’s major highlights.
“We are delighted to share the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Lagaan and show this epic film on the UK’s largest IMAX screen with major actor producer Aamir Khan present to talk about its making. Other inspirational figures coming to the festival are Britain’s legendary ‘Goodness Gracious Me’ comedy team, who will make a rare appearance together. We 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 seemingly despondent times,” Sawhney said.
“There are so many impressive Indian indie features and short film premieres on show this year from different states and we even delve into the emerging world of Indian AI and filmmaking. It’s great to see the festival expanding its footprint this year beyond London to Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Bradford,” he added.
The festival’s 2026 edition will expand beyond London, with screenings and events also planned in Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Bradford. (Source: IANS)
