Legendary actress Waheeda Rahman is set to grace the opening ceremony of the first-ever Indian Film Festival of New Zealand (TIFFNZ). The multi-city event, celebrating her monumental five-decade contribution to Indian cinema, kicks off on October 22, 2026.
The festival opens with a screening of her classic 1966 musical drama,”Teesri Kasam”.
The film features Waheeda alongside the legendary
Raj Kapoor.
Audiences will experience a newly restored version prepared by the NFAI-NFDC.
The actress expressed her excitement for the festival, calling
“Teesri Kasam” a film close to her heart and expressing pleasure that new audiences will discover its timeless story.
A titan of Indian cinema’s Golden Age, Waheeda Rahman highlights the festival’s focus on heritage preservation. Her illustrious career includes the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Padma Bhushan, and iconic roles in classics such as
“Guide”, “Pyaasa” and
“Kaagaz Ke Phool”
Running over three days, the festival will feature 30 films across Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. The event concludes with a restored version of the 1972
Classic “Pakeezah”.
News Edit KV Raman
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