“We are delighted to open our 17th festival with 52 Blue"
The 2026 London Indian Film Festival gets underway on July 9 with a 10-day programme featuring South Asian films, documentaries, short films and special events.
Opening the festival will be the screening of 52 Blue, a coming-of-age drama from award-winning director Ali El Arabi.
Taking place at BFI Southbank at 6:10 pm, 52 Blue follows Ashish, a reclusive young man from Kerala who dreams of meeting his football idol Lionel Messi at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
After telling his family he has been selected as India’s representative for the tournament, Ashish travels away from his sheltered home life and takes a stadium worker job. The experience forces him to confront himself and the wider world for the first time.
The film stars Adil Hussain and Neha Dhupia as Ashish’s parents.
Following the screening, audiences will have the opportunity to attend a Q&A with El Arabi, whose previous work includes the acclaimed documentary Captains of Zaatari.
Another highlight at the London Indian Film Festival is White Snow, a political drama from filmmaker Praveen Morchhale, known for Widow of Silence.
Set in Kashmir, the film follows Amir, a filmmaker whose short film is banned after a complaint from a local religious leader.
His arrest leads his elderly mother, Fatima, to take action, as she travels through Himalayan villages with her Yak, an old Philips cathode television and a DVD player to screen her son’s work.
Too Desi Too Queer presents a crop of inspiring, thought- provoking short films and Q&A discussions.
For 2026, these UK premieres have been programmed in association with Rainbow Noir, Manchester.
With films for all the community, viewers will have the chance to share their thoughts on these films with “engaging discussions afterwards, exploring struggles, joy, empowerment, connection and mental and physical wellbeing”.
In total, the London Indian Film Festival will screen nine feature films, two documentaries and seven shorts programmes.
One of the major highlights will see the cast of Goodness Gracious Me reunite at BFI Southbank on July 11. Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Nina Wadia, Kulvinder Ghir and Anil Gupta are expected to appear together on stage for the Central Gala event.
The event will also feature an appearance from Aamir Khan.
The Bollywood megastar’s appearance at BFI Southbank on July 16 forms part of the festival’s closing programme and coincides with celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of his Oscar-nominated film Lagaan.
A special screening of the film will be at BFI IMAX on July 12.
The festival will also host India’s AI & Film Future at BFI Southbank on July 11. Organisers describe it as Europe’s first showcase of Indian films that have incorporated artificial intelligence into the creative process.
The jury selection was overseen by filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, with Chaitanya Chinchlikar, Arati Kadav, Hardeep Gambhir, Deepa Bhatia and Prateek Arora serving as panellists.
Festival CEO and Programming Director Cary Rajinder Sawhney said:
“We are delighted to open our 17th festival with 52 Blue, a riveting and inspirational film about youth finding a way against impossible odds, which seems to wonderfully go against the grain of these despondent times.
“Further inspiration will come with major In Conversations with legendary trailblazers, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, and Britain’s much-loved Goodness Gracious Me team, all of whom I am pleased to say are still at the top of their game.
“Bringing together a glittering box of indie gemstone films from some of the world’s finest film festivals to UK premiere at our five-city festival offers a rare treat to our audiences and an opportunity to experience the rich creativity of the world’s most populated region.”
As part of the London Indian Film Festival, additional festivals are taking place in Birmingham (July 10 – 19) and Manchester (July 9 – 19).
Full London Indian Film Festival Programme
July 9
52 Blue – BFI Southbank at 6:10 pm
July 10
White Snow – BFI Southbank at 6:15 pm
Too Desi Too Queer – ICA at 6:30 pm
New Brit Asian Shorts – BFI Southbank at 8:40 pm
July 11
India’s AI & Film Future – BFI Southbank at 2 pm
Anmol – Lovingly Ours – ICA at 4 pm
Goodness Gracious Me Reunion – BFI Southbank at 6:15 pm
All About Weddings – ICA at 6:45 pm
If I Could Tell You – Genesis at 6:45 pm
Ancestral Hauntings: Short Film Programme – Ciné Lumière at 8:30 pm
July 12
Lagaan – BFI IMAX at 10:45 am
In Search of the Sky – BFI Southbank at 3:30 pm
A Mosquito in the Ear – Regent Street Cinema at 4 pm
Master – ICA at 4 pm
Britain through South Asian Eyes – Genesis at 6:05 pm
July 13
Industry Event: Creating a New Horizon for British Asian Film Talent – Stronger Together – BFI Southbank at 4 pm
Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition PART 1 – Regent Street Cinema at 6:30 pm
July 14
Give it a Shot – ICA at 6:30 pm
July 15
Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition PART 2 – Nehru Centre at 6:30 pm
In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones – BFI Southbank at 8:20 pm
July 16
In Conversation: Aamir Khan – BFI Southbank at 6 pm
Audiences can book tickets for screenings and events throughout the 10-day event.
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