Media365
Digitally restored for the big screen, renowned British director Peter Brook’s reimagining of ‘The Mahabharata’ will premiere at this year’s London Indian Film Festival (LIFF).
The 1989 film, starring Mallika Sarabhai as Draupadi will get a Central Gala red-carpet screening at the British Film Institute’s (BFI) largest IMAX screen when the festival opens next month.
The well-known interpretation of the epic tale of love, philosophy and warfare told as a story that encompasses all humankind will be screened to align with the 100th birth year of Brooks, who was awarded a Padma Shri in 2021 for his contribution to the field of art.
Other highlights of LIFF 2025 include the Tamil-French film ‘Little Jaffna’ and the Assamese teen drama ‘Village Rockstars 2’ by director Rima Das.
“We are delighted to showcase some of South Asia’s most outstanding new indie films across London and Birmingham in July, and to not only highlight emerging talent such as opening night director Lawrence Valin’s ‘Little Jaffna’, or Indian director Lakshmipriya Devi’s ‘Boong’, but to premiere the legendary Padma Shri UK director Peter Brook’s spectacular ‘The Mahabharata’ at the BFI IMAX, literally the biggest story ever showing on the Britain’s largest screen,” said Cary Rajinder Sawhney, Director of the London and Birmingham Indian Film Festivals.
“In our industry events at the festival we will also be celebrating the filmmaking potential of South Asians born and living in the UK, and their potential to partner with Indian filmmakers on exciting future cross-collaborations,” he said.
‘Boong’ tells of a disobedient schoolboy’s ambition to mend his broken family in Manipur, naively risking his safety to cross into Myanmar in search of his missing dad.
The festival, one of Europe’s largest annual Indian film events, scheduled between July 16 and 23 across London and Birmingham, will also celebrate emerging British talent with a new industry event to encourage more South Asians in the country to become a part of the film industry.
This new collaboration with RIFCO Theatre is accompanied by the festival’s regular programme of Brit-Asian shorts.
