On the closing night of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2026, the SBS Punjabi team caught up with several renowned film personalities. This special ground report kicks off with a beautiful Punjabi song by Bollywood actor Sharib Hashmi, who shared nostalgic stories and expressed his deep affection for Punjabi cinema and music.
Independent Punjabi filmmaker Anmol Sidhu, whose feature Flowers of Acacia (Kikkran De Phull) earned a Special Mention for Best Indie Film, revealed how his team captured the raw struggles of orchestra dancers by filming inside authentic Punjabi weddings without artificial sets.
Acclaimed director Onir spoke about his celebrated film Tumhari Khushbu, explaining why casting a visually impaired actor was crucial to achieving cinematic authenticity.
Finally, film curator Meenakshi Shedde shared insights on a special showcase of seven films highlighting India’s diverse tribal and Adivasi (indigenous) cultures, celebrating the enthusiastic response from Melbourne audiences.
To experience every unique colour of the IFFM 2026 closing night, listen to this full podcast report.
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