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Time of India
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Restored classic Badnaam Basti to lead Pride Night at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2025
The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025 is set to spotlight LGBTQ+ narratives with a landmark Pride Celebratory Night on August, featuring the restored version of Badnaam Basti —India's first-ever LGBTQ-themed film, originally released in 1971. Now in its 16th year, IFFM has cemented its place as the largest Indian film festival held outside India, recognised for championing diversity, inclusion, and cultural dialogue. Backed by the Government of Victoria, Australia, this year's edition will screen close to 75 films, focusing on themes including gender, sexuality, disability, race, and women's representation. The Pride Night promises to be a poignant tribute to queer cinema and South Asian LGBTQ+ identity in Australia. The rare screening of Badnaam Basti —a film long lost in cinematic history—will honour its pioneering legacy, followed by the Australian premiere of We Are Faheem and Karun , a tender queer love story directed by acclaimed filmmaker Onir . Speaking about the initiative, IFFM Director Mitu Bhowmik Lange said, 'At IFFM, we believe cinema has the power to connect and create conversations. This Pride Night is not just about celebrating queer identity but also reclaiming space for LGBTQIA+ narratives in Indian cinema. Through films like Badnaam Basti and We Are Faheem and Karun , we honour the past and embrace a future of inclusive storytelling.' With its continued focus on representation, IFFM 2025 affirms its commitment to showcasing the full spectrum of human experience on an international platform.
India.com
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Indias First LGBTQIA+ Film Badnaam Basti To Screen At Indian Film Festival Of Melbourne 2025
Mumbai: India's first-ever LGBTQ film, 'Badnaam Basti' will open at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM). The organisers confirmed the news on Tuesday, stating that the screening will take place during the IFFM Pride Celebratory Night on August 22. The event aims to offer a "powerful tribute" to queer cinema and queer South Asian identity in Australia. Originally released in 1971, Prem Kapoor's 'Badnaam Basti' is dubbed as India's first queer-themed film, also a "lardmark" in LGBTQIA+ cinema. It focuses on the story of a bus driver and a cleaner, subtly redefining queer representation at the time. The festival organisers also confirmed the screening of filmmaker Onir's 'We Are Faheem & Karun"--another "tender queer love story. Navigating through a moving portrait of identity, friendship, and love, the film speaks to today's youth and breaks barriers with heart and honesty, the organisers added. Speaking about the same, IFFM director Mitu Bhowmick said, "At IFFM, we believe cinema has the power to connect and create conversations. It is our responsibility to reflect on the world we live in, with all its beautiful diversity." Reflecting on the Pride Night, she emphasised that it will not just celebrate queer identity but also reclaim the space that had been long denied to LGBTQIA+ narratives in Indian cinema. Bhowmick said that films like 'Badnaam Basti' and 'We Are Faheem & Karun' will honour the past and embrace a future of inclusive storytelling, as per the press release. The IFFM 2025 marks 16 years of the largest Indian film festival held outside the country. Officially backed by the Government of Victoria, Australia, the festival will screen nearly 75 films, spanning across themes of gender, race, sexuality, disability, and women's representation.
News18
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News18
India's First Queer Film Badnaam Basti's Restored Version To Be Screened At IFFM 2025
Directed by Prem Kapoor, the 1971 film Badnam Basti is regarded as the first Indian movie to depict same-sex relationship. The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), now in its 16th year, continues to set a global benchmark for cultural celebration and cinematic inclusivity. This year, IFFM will screen nearly 75 films that reflect themes of inclusivity spanning gender, race, sexuality, disability, and women's representation. One of the most anticipated highlights of the festival is the LGBTQ+ Pride Night scheduled for August 22nd, which promises to be a powerful tribute to queer cinema and Queer South Asian identity in Australia. The Pride Night will feature the screening of the restored version of 'Badnaam Basti' India's first-ever LGBTQ film originally released in 1971. The film's legacy will be honored by this rare showcase, followed by the Australian premiere of We Are Faheem and Karun, a tender queer love story directed by acclaimed filmmaker Onir. Speaking about the festival's commitment to representation, IFFM Director Mitu Bhowmik Lange said 'At IFFM, we believe cinema has the power to connect and create conversations. It is our responsibility to reflect on the world we live in, with all its beautiful diversity. This Pride Night is not just about celebrating queer identity but also reclaiming the space that has long been denied to LGBTQIA+ narratives in Indian cinema. Through films like Badnaam Basti and We Are Faheem and Karun, we honour the past and embrace a future of inclusive storytelling." Badnaam Basti, directed by Prem Kapoor, is based on Kamleshwar's debut novel Ek Sadak Sattavan Galiyan. The film, starring Nitin Sethi, Amar Kakkad, and Nandita Thakur, was thought to have been lost for 40 years, but a print was found in 2019. The film has since been digitized and was screened by the Block Museum of Art in May 2020 and at the Kashish film festival, Mumbai. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
MAMI Mumbai Film Festival Cancelled. Hansal Mehta Calls It "Cruel Irony"
The MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, a prominent platform for Indian and international cinema, has been cancelled for 2025. The organisers made the announcement in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. Filmmaker Hansal Mehta expressed his disappointment over the festival's cancellation. Hansal Mehta shared the MAMI organisers' official statement on the matter on Instagram, which read, "This is to inform you that the 2025 edition of MAMI Mumbai Film Festival will not take place as we are in the process of revamping the festival with a dynamic vision and a new team to ensure that the festival returns as a premier showcase for the best of independent, regional and classic cinema from Indian and around the world." It added, "We are working diligently to reschedule the festival and will announce the new dates for the 2026 edition as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and support." Hansal Mehta strongly criticised the MAMI Film Festival's cancellation. In the caption, the filmmaker wrote, "It's a cruel irony that Mumbai draped in the glitz of being India's financial and cinematic capital cannot keep alive a film festival of its own. Abandoned by the self-appointed gatekeepers of cinema who chased shinier stages and safer bets it was left in the hands of a few passionate believers to run on pure faith. And now that fragile flame has been snuffed out." He added, "No ceremony. No outrage. Just a slow, silent forgetting. What should have been a cultural cornerstone has been reduced to a footnote - another casualty of apathy dressed as progress." Take a look: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hansal Mehta (@hansalmehta) Reacting to his post, filmmaker Onir wrote, "Heartbreaking that the industry that produces the largest number of films … failed to nurture this space that celebrated cinema as a form of art … beyond box office and stars. What a loss for the city and a shame for us as an industry." The MAMI Mumbai Film Festival was launched in 1997 by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI), a public trust based in the city. Over the years, stars like Aamir Khan made financial contributions to the festival, while celebrities like Priyanka Chopra and Kiran Rao served as Chairpersons of the event. In 2023, the festival was sponsored by Jio, but they opted out as title sponsor last year. The 2024 edition of the event was substantially smaller than prior editions.
Hindustan Times
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Indian Film Festival of Melbourne Awards 2025: Superboys of Malegaon, Pataal Lok S2 lead the nominations; see full list
The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) has officially unveiled its nominations for the 2025 edition, celebrating the best in Indian cinema and streaming content. Now in its 16th year, IFFM stands as the largest celebration of Indian film outside India. Check out the full list of nominations for the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) Awards 2025. Supported by the Victorian Government, the festival will run from August 14 to 24, with the IFFM Awards Night set for August 15, honouring cinematic excellence across film and OTT categories. Winners will be selected by an esteemed jury comprising some of the most respected names in Australian cinema and cultural landscape, including Garth Davis, director of Dev Patel- Nicole Kidman's Lion, and Theatre Director and Film Producer - Nadia Tass. With projects considered from June 15, 2024 to June 14, 2025, and OTT nominations restricted to platforms available in Australia, this year's lineup spans mainstream superhits, indie revelations, regional gems, and binge-worthy series. Among the most-nominated films and shows are Superboys of Malegaon, Maharaj, L2: Empuraan. On the streaming front, Paatal Lok 2, Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper, and Manorathangal dominate the series categories. Best Film Homebound Kalki 2898 AD L2 : Empuraan Maharaj Meiyazhagan Stree 2 Superboys of Malegaon Best Indie Film Angammal Baksho bondi (Shadowbox) Boong Feminichi Fathima (Feminist Fathima) Humans in the loop Village Rockstars 2 We are Faheem and Karun Best Actor (Male) Abhishek Bachchan - I Want to Talk Adarsh Gourav - Superboys of Malegaon Gugun Kipgen - Boong Ishaan Khatter - Homebound Junaid Khan - Maharaj Manoj Bajpayee - The Fable Mohanlal - L2 : Empuraan Vishal Jethwa - Homebound Best Actor (Female) Anjali Sivaraman - Bad Girl Bhanita Das - Village Rockstars 2 Geetha Kailasam - Angammal Kareena Kapoor Khan - The Buckingham Murders Shamla Hamza - Feminichi Fathima (Feminist Fathima) Sharmila Tagore - Puratawn Shraddha Kapoor - Stree 2 Tillotama Shome - Baksho Bondi (Shadowbox) Best Director Aranya Sahay - Humans in the loop Lakshmipriya Devi - Boong Neeraj Ghaywan - Homebound Onir - We are Faheem and Karun Reema Kagti - Superboys of Malegoan Rima Das - Village Rockstars 2 Varsha Bharath - Bad Girls Vipin Radhakrishnan - Angammal Best Web Series Black Warrant Gyaarah Gyaarah Khauf Kota Factory Season 3 Manorathangal Paatal Lok Season 2 Thallivattam Palayam Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper Best Actor (Female) - Web Series Ananya Pandey - Call Me Bae Monika Panwar - Khauf Nimisha Sajayan - Dabba Cartel Parvathy Thiruvothu - Manorathangal Rasika Dugal - Mirzapur Season 3 Shabana Azmi – Dabba Cartel Tillotamma Shome - Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper Best Actor (Male) - Web Series Abhishek Kumar - Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam Ali Fazal - Mirzapur Season 3 Jaideep Ahlawat - Paatal Lok Season 2 Jitendra Kumar – Kota Factory Season 3 Mammootty – Manorathangal Manav Kaul - Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper Zahaan Kapoor - Black Warrant
