At the India premiere of the film My Melbourne, filmmaker Kabir Khan shared his thoughts on the anthology, which explores themes of identity, belonging, and resilience. The film is an inspiring collection of four stories, each directed by Indian filmmakers Onir, Rima Das, Imtiaz Ali, and Kabir Khan, addressing various aspects of diversity, sexuality, gender, disability, and race. My Melbourne is set to be released theatrically in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji on 6 March 2025, with its release in India scheduled for 14 March 2025.
Speaking about the film, Kabir Khan said, "It’s a very beautiful story... it’s the story of Setara... Setara herself is playing her character. I met Sitara in Melbourne when my film '83 won the Best Film Award. I had gone there with Kapil Dev. There were a few girls from Afghanistan who were very excited to meet him. When I met them, I found out that they were members of the Afghanistan women’s cricket team. There was a young girl with them, Sitara, who played cricket in Afghanistan. Her dream was to play for the Afghanistan Women’s Cricket Team, but due to the Taliban, they all had to leave their lives behind. Melbourne city hosted them and gave them a platform.
The story is about how, through cricket, they establish themselves. I found it to be a very beautiful and important story, especially in today’s world, where we see so many refugees and displaced people across the globe. Melbourne is a city that gave them a platform and dignity. That’s why I felt this was an important story."
Kabir Khan also expressed his happiness about the film’s theatrical release, saying, "I’m very happy that such a film is getting a theatrical release. Today, we see that many small films, which need to be nurtured and taken to the public, don’t always get the platform they deserve. But this film has received that opportunity, and I’m very happy about it."
My Melbourne is an anthology film made up of four distinct segments, each helmed by different directors, that explore crucial themes such as LGBTQIA+ rights, disability, gender, and race. The film consists of four stories titled Emma, Nandini, Jules, and Setara, each offering a unique perspective on identity and belonging.