Highlights
- Aamir Khan will take part in a special event celebrating 25 years of Lagaan at the London Indian Film Festival.
- The Oscar-nominated film will be screened at BFI IMAX, followed by an in-conversation session with the actor.
- The festival will also reunite the cast of BBC comedy classic Goodness Gracious Me.
- Programmes this year include independent South Asian cinema, Bangladeshi films and a showcase exploring AI in filmmaking.
Lagaan returns to the spotlight 25 years later
The London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Lagaan with a special screening and appearance by Aamir Khan, one of the biggest attractions of this year's programme.
The actor-producer will participate in an “Aamir Khan In Conversation” event at BFI Southbank on July 16, reflecting on the making of the Oscar-nominated film and his journey in cinema. Ahead of the discussion, Lagaan will be screened at BFI IMAX on July 12.
Speaking about the milestone, Khan said the film was made with belief, passion and honesty, adding that its continued connection with audiences across generations remains deeply special.
Released in 2001, Lagaan became a landmark moment for Indian cinema internationally and remains one of the country's most recognised films abroad.
From Goodness Gracious Me to new South Asian stories
The festival's Central Gala will bring together the cast of the influential BBC sketch comedy series Goodness Gracious Me.
Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Nina Wadia and Kulvinder Ghir will reunite alongside writer-producer Anil Gupta to revisit the show's impact on British television and South Asian representation.
LIFF will open with the European premiere of 52 Blue, directed by Ali El Arabi and starring Adil Hussain and Neha Dhupia. The film will launch the festival at BFI Southbank before travelling to Birmingham, Sheffield and Greater London.
The programme also includes UK premieres such as Jitank Singh Gurjar's In Search of the Sky, which follows a young man with disabilities and his elderly parents on a journey to the Kumbh Mela.
Bangladeshi cinema will have a notable presence through screenings of Master and Roid, both of which previously featured at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Festival expands beyond London
Now in its 17th edition, the festival will take place across London, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Bradford, reflecting its growing reach beyond the capital.
Other featured titles include Neel Dutt's family drama All About Weddings, Priyankka Saha's Anmol – Lovingly Ours, and a UK premiere of the restored version of cult classic In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones, written by and starring Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy.
Another notable addition is India's AI & Film Future, described as Europe's first showcase dedicated to Indian films that incorporate artificial intelligence and emerging technologies into the creative process. The event will be overseen by an international jury led by filmmaker Shekhar Kapur.
Festival CEO and Programming Director Cary Rajinder Sawhney said the 2026 edition reflects both the diversity and innovation currently shaping South Asian storytelling, while highlighting the significance of celebrating Lagaan on one of the UK's biggest cinema screens.
With a mix of landmark anniversaries, television reunions and new independent voices, this year's festival is using the legacy of Lagaan as a bridge between South Asian cinema's past and its future.
