One of Europe’s largest South Asian film festivals, the London Indian Film Festival (LIFF), has unveiled a star-studded line-up for its 17th edition. Spanning 20 venues across six UK cities, this year’s festival features 10 languages, Europe’s first-ever Indian AI and Film Showcase and more brilliant South Asian cinema!
The European premiere of 52 Blue festival kicks off on the 9th of July at the BFI Southbank. The rites-of-passage drama is directed by Ali El Arabi and stars Adil Hussain and Neha Dhupia.
Global superstar Aamir Khan is also set to touch down in the UK, featuring in a rare ‘In Conversation’ event that crowns the Closing Gala on the 16th of July. The talk ties into the 25th anniversary of his Oscar-nominated colonial epic Lagaan, which will receive a special screening at the BFI IMAX on the 12th of July. “To see Lagaan still connect with audiences across generations and geographies is very special,” said Khan.
The Central Gala on the 11th of July will also be a treat for those looking forward to a blast from the past, with a highly anticipated onstage reunion of the iconic 1990s BBC sketch comedy Goodness Gracious Me, featuring original cast members Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Nina Wadia, and Kulvinder Ghir.
On the 11th, LIFF will also present a groundbreaking showcase of Indian films that utilise AI, curated by a jury led by director Shekhar Kapur, and its LGBTQIA+ film showcase, Too Desi Too Queer, will also be returning with a selection of must-see South Asian queer cinema. Dear and hearing-impaired audiences will be more catered for than ever before, with more screenings featuring BSL-interpreted Q&A’s across all the festival cities across the UK. There will also be multiple premieres during the festival, including Jitank Singh Gurjar’s In Search Of The Sky, and Rezwan Shahriar Sumit’s Master.
Supported by the BFI Audience Projects Fund, the festival runs from the 9th to 16th July, with screenings to be found in six cities in the UK including London, Manchester and Birmingham.
Find out more about LIFF 2026 here.