London Indian Film Festival Unveils 2026 Line-Up, Aamir Khan To Celebrate 25 Years of 'Lagaan'

The festival, which also includes the Birmingham Indian Film Festival and Manchester Indian Film Festival, will be held across London, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Bradford. It is supported by the BFI Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery funding.

LIFF will open with the European premiere of "52 Blue", directed by Ali El Arabi of "Captains of Zaatari" fame. The coming-of-age drama stars Adil Hussain and Neha Dhupia and will screen at BFI Southbank on July 9 before travelling to Birmingham, Sheffield and Greater London.

One of the major attractions of this year's edition is "Aamir Khan In Conversation" at BFI Southbank on July 16, marking the 25th anniversary of his Oscar-nominated period sports drama "Lagaan". The film will also be screened at BFI IMAX on July 12.

Khan will speak about the making of the 2001 film and reflect on his journey from child actor to one of India's biggest stars.

"As 'Lagaan' completes 25 years, it's hard to put into words what this journey has meant. We made the film with a lot of belief, passion and honesty, never imagining the kind of love it would receive and continue to receive all these years later," Khan said in a statement.

"I'm truly delighted that this milestone is being celebrated with a screening at the BFI. To see 'Lagaan' still connect with audiences across generations and across geographies is very special," he added.

The festival's Central Gala will reunite the cast of the groundbreaking BBC sketch comedy series "Goodness Gracious Me" on July 11.

Actors Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Nina Wadia and Kulvinder Ghir, along with writer-producer Anil Gupta, will come together to revisit the show's enduring impact on British television and South Asian representation.

LIFF will also host "India's AI & Film Future", billed as Europe's first showcase of Indian films incorporating AI and emerging technologies into the creative process.

The event, scheduled for July 11 at BFI Southbank, will feature short films selected by an international jury headed by filmmaker Shekhar Kapur.

Among the UK premieres at the festival is "In Search of the Sky" by Jitank Singh Gurjar, which follows a young man with disabilities and his elderly parents as they travel to the Kumbh Mela seeking answers and hope.

Bangladeshi cinema will also have a strong presence through the UK premieres of "Master" by Rezwan Shahriar Sumit and "Roid" by Mejbaur Rahman Sumon, both of which screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2026.

Other highlights include Neel Dutt's family drama "All About Weddings", Priyankka Saha's "Anmol - Lovingly Ours", and the UK premiere of the 4K restoration of Pradip Krishen's cult classic "In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones", written by and featuring Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy.

Cary Rajinder Sawhney, CEO and Programming Director of LIFF, said the festival reflects the diversity and innovation shaping contemporary South Asian storytelling.

"We are delighted to share the celebration of the 25th anniversary of 'Lagaan' and show this epic film on the UK's largest IMAX screen with major actor-producer Mr Aamir Khan present to talk about its making.

"There are so many impressive Indian indie features and short film premieres on show this year from different states and we even delve into the emerging world of Indian AI and filmmaking. It's great to see the festival expanding its footprint this year beyond London to Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Bradford," Sawhney said