Mumbai: Actress Rasika Dugal has looked back on some of her most memorable experiences at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2026, describing the event as a mix of inspiration, emotional moments and personal achievement.
Sharing a series of pictures from Melbourne on social media, Rasika said the festival remained memorable despite the demanding schedule of long flights, events and back-to-back commitments.
One of the highlights for her was watching the 1981 classic Umrao Jaan alongside veteran actress Rekha, who played the iconic title role in the film. Rekha was honoured with the Excellence in Cinema award at this year’s festival, where a special screening of the celebrated film was also organised.
Sharing a picture with Rekha, Rasika wrote, “Watching Umrao Jaan with Rekha ji. And with an audience that completed dialogues and sang along with the songs.”
Reflecting on the film’s enduring appeal, she added, “That a film can have that kind of impact 45 years after it was made… yes, what we do is worth it.”
For Rasika, the experience highlighted how powerful cinema can remain across generations. The audience’s spontaneous response to the film, including joining in with its dialogues and songs, served as a reminder of the lasting cultural impact of classics such as Umrao Jaan.
Another moment that stayed with Rasika was hearing actress Rani Mukerji recount a childhood experience involving a school play. Rani spoke about not being chosen to play Shakuntala, a story that Rasika said she could relate to on a personal level.
“Listening to Rani Mukerji share a beautiful story about not being cast as Shakuntala in a school play — which I resonated with completely. Turns out all of us have a Shakuntala story,” Rasika wrote.
The anecdote took on added significance during IFFM, where Rani was recognised for her contribution to Indian cinema. On August 14, she received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from Australia’s La Trobe University for her nearly three decades in the film industry, along with recognition of her humanitarian work and advocacy for women, children and communities.
Rani became the second Indian film personality, after Shah Rukh Khan, to receive the honorary Doctor of Letters from La Trobe University. She described the honour as one of the most humbling moments of her life and became emotional while accepting it.
Meanwhile, the Melbourne festival was also a significant milestone for Rasika herself. She won the Best Actress award in the series category at IFFM 2026 for her performance in Delhi Crime 3.
Her reflections from the festival brought together two different aspects of cinema — the enduring influence of established classics and the personal journeys of contemporary performers — making Melbourne a particularly meaningful stop in her career.
With inputs from IANS