Rekha to receive Excellence in Cinema Award at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2026

Veteran actor Rekha will receive the Excellence in Cinema Award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2026, where Umrao Jaan will be screened in tribute to her career. She will also hoist the Indian flag during the festival's Independence Day celebrations

New Delhi: Veteran Hindi cinema star Rekha will attend the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne as guest of honour where she will be presented with the prestigious excellence in cinema award. The festival will screen “Umrao Jaan” to celebrate Rekha’s unparalleled body of work and extraordinary contribution to Indian cinema, spanning movies such as “Silsila”, “Khoobsurat”, “Ijaazat”, “Ghar”, “Khoon Bhari Maang”, “Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi” and “Koi…”. Mil Gaya”.

Directed by Muzaffar Ali, “Umrao Jaan” is one of the most defining films in Rekha’s career and celebrated 45 years of its release this year. “‘Umrao Jaan’ has never left me. She lives in my memories, in my silences, and in the hearts of those who have embraced her with a lot of love over the years. To revisit that journey and see the film being celebrated on a global stage is both humbling and moving,” Rekha, 71, said in a statement.

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“Cinema has been my life’s greatest blessing, and to be honoured with the Excellence in Cinema Award at IFFM 2026 is special. I accept this honour with immense gratitude, not only as a recognition of my own journey, but also as a tribute to the filmmakers, writers, musicians and countless collaborators who have enriched my life and shaped my work.” The actor will also hoist the Indian flag in Melbourne on August 15 alongside members of the Indian diaspora, Australian dignitaries, filmmakers, artists, and cinema lovers.

The festival’s annual flag-hoisting ceremony has previously been led by some of Indian cinema’s most iconic personalities, including late Rishi Kapoor, Aamir Khan, Shabana Azmi, Anil Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Ramcharan and filmmaker Karan Johar. “There are very few artists whose presence transcends cinema and becomes part of a nation’s cultural consciousness. Rekha ji is one such timeless icon.

Her extraordinary body of work, her grace, and the unparalleled legacy she has built over decades have inspired audiences not only in India but across the world. It is an immense privilege for the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne to welcome her as our Guest of Honour this year,” Mitu Bhowmick Lange, Founder and Festival Director of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, said. The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne will take place from August 13 to 23.