Indian actress Rani Mukerji and Filmmaker Karan Johar are set to deliver a keynote at the Australian Parliament House on August 13. The esteemed honor will be presented ahead of the 15th annual Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), which will begin on August 15. As per Variety, Rani Mukerji and Karan Johar will talk about 'cinema's power to bridge cultures and unite audiences across geographical boundaries'.

The two celebs were invited following the recent co-production treaty between India and Australia. Talking about the honor, Rani Mukerji said, "I’m 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. This is a milestone moment for our fraternity, and it would be an honor 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. Our films bring a lot of joy to the world, our films bring a lot of color in people’s lives," she added.

Karan Johar said 'deeply honored to be invited for the prestigious event'. He said, "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. 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," he added. 

Rani and Karan will be addressing the members of the parliament, ministers, and other important people. Mitu Bhowmik Lange, festival director of IFFM, said Rani and Karan's presence 'is a testament to the festival's growing influence and recognition.'