Rani Mukerji and Karan Johar will deliver keynote addresses at the Australian Parliament House

Rani Mukerji and Karan Johar are set to deliver a keynote address at the Australian Parliament House on August 13. This significant honour precedes the 15th annual Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), which begins on August 15. According to Variety, they will discuss 'the power of cinema to bridge cultures and unite audiences across borders.'

The invitation to the two celebrities follows the recent co-production treaty between India and Australia.

In a statement, Rani Mukerji said, ‘I’m proud to represent the Indian film fraternity at the Australian Parliament House and speak about the rich history of cinema that we have offered to the world at large. This is a milestone moment for our fraternity, and it would be an honour for me to speak about the growing cultural ties between Australia and India through cinema (sic).’

She further added, ‘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 with our talent, our films making a mark globally. Our films bring a lot of joy to the world, our films bring a lot of colour in people’s lives (sic).’

Karan Johar stated that he was 'deeply honoured to be invited for the prestigious event'.

He said, ‘I am thrilled to be a part of this historic event and to celebrate the incredible journey of Indian cinema (sic).’

He further added, ‘It’s incredible to see how far the stories we as an industry create travels, and this moment is a testament to the growing influence of the cultural impact of Indian cinema. I’m grateful to the house, the members of the parliament for extending this invite and to have me represent the rich legacy of cinema and storytelling (sic).’

Rani Mukerji and Karan Johar will address members of parliament, ministers, and other dignitaries. Mitu Bhowmik Lange, the IFFM festival director, stated that their presence ‘is a testament to the festival's growing influence and recognition.’

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne will run from August 15 to August 25.

Also Watch | Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are 1st married couple to top US box office in 34 years | Details here