Mumbai, Aug 12 (IANS): Actress Rani Mukerji and filmmaker Karan Johar have been invited to address a keynote speech about Indian cinema at the Australian Parliament House.

The event is to take place on August 13, ahead of the 15th annual Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), which is slated to commence from August 15.

Rani is proud to represent the Indian film fraternity at the Australian Parliament House and speak about the rich history of cinema that we have offered to the world at large.

Calling it a milestone moment for the fraternity, Rani said: “It would be an honour for me to speak about the growing cultural ties between Australia and India through cinema."

"Indian cinema comprising Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Hindi, and others, is right now at the forefront of shaping pop culture worldwide with our talent, our films making a mark globally."

Rani said that Indian cinema brings a lot of joy to the world.

“Our films bring a lot of colour into people's lives. As an entertainer, I have always loved to see people going on a journey with the emotions that our cinema has to offer. I’m humbled to represent my country which is so diverse and its cinema reflective of each different culture at the Australian Parliament House .”

The keynote address is set to be attended by distinguished dignitaries, Members of Parliament, and various ministers, underscoring the global impact and cultural significance of Indian cinema.

Director Karan Johar too is deeply honoured to be invited to speak at the Australian Parliament House.

“I am thrilled to be a part of this historic event and to celebrate the incredible journey of Indian cinema. It’s incredible to see how far the stories we as an industry create travels, and this moment is a testament to the growing influence of the cultural impact of Indian cinema,” Karan said.

He added: “I’m grateful to the house, the members of the parliament for extending this invite and to have me represent the rich legacy of cinema and storytelling”.

Festival Director Mitu Bhowmik said: "Having Rani Mukherji and Karan Johar as keynote speakers at the Australian Parliament House is a testament to the festival’s growing influence and recognition"

The festival will bring the curtains down on August 25.