The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) will be held from 13 to 23 August 2026 this year. On Monday, the festival committee announced that legendary yesteryear actor Rekha will be attend the festival as a guest of honour.

The actor would also be attending the festival for a special screening of her 1981 film Umrao Jaan, directed by Muzaffar Ali, which continues to be remembered as one of her most iconic roles. On the occasion, Rekha will be conferred with the prestigious Excellence in Cinema Award. Speaking on this, Rekha said, "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.”

Also starring Farookh Sheikh, Naseeruddin Shah and Shaukat Kaifi, Umrao Jaan also won Rekha her first National Award. The film’s music too continued to be remembered with great admiration and love.

As part of the festival's Independence Day tradition, Rekha will hoist the Indian National Flag in Melbourne on 15th August, commemorating India's 79th Independence Day alongside members of the Indian diaspora, Australian dignitaries, filmmakers, artists, and cinema lovers. Mitu Bhowmick Lange, IFFM Founder and Festival Director, said, “There are few artists whose presence transcends cinema and becomes part of a nation's cultural consciousness. Rekha ji is one such timeless icon. It is an immense privilege for the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne to welcome her as our Guest of Honour this year and honour her with the Excellence in Cinema Award.”

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.