Mumbai, August 15, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Veteran actor Rekha and acclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi shared a light-hearted moment in Melbourne, with Rekha taking on the role of an English teacher and encouraging Tripathi to repeat her lines in English.
A video posted by the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne on Instagram shows Rekha asking Tripathi to translate and repeat whatever she says in English.
“Abhi main jo bolungi na Pankaj ji woh aap Angrezi main boliye (Now, whatever I say, you will say it in English),” Rekha tells him.
She then asks him to say, “To all the lovely people of Melbourne.” When Tripathi repeats the line in Hindi, Rekha corrects him and encourages him to deliver it in English.
“Ma’am, main Hindi medium ka chatra hun galat bol dunga (Ma’am, I am a Hindi medium student. I will say it wrong),” Tripathi responds humorously.
The two eventually deliver the message together, beginning with “To all the lovely people of Melbourne” and concluding with “Thank you so much. See you soon. Love you. Jai Hind.”
Rekha is attending the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), where her acclaimed 1981 film ‘Umrao Jaan’ is scheduled to be screened.
Directed by Muzaffar Ali, ‘Umrao Jaan’ is a period musical drama in which Rekha plays the titular character. The film is based on Mirza Hadi Ruswa’s 1899 Urdu novel ‘Umrao Jaan Ada’ and follows the life of a Lucknow tawaif and poet and her rise to fame.
The film received four honours at the 29th National Film Awards, including the Best Actress award for Rekha.
IFFM will also honour Rekha with its Excellence in Cinema Award, recognising her body of work, performances and contribution to Indian cinema.
As part of the festival’s Independence Day tradition, Rekha will hoist the Indian National Flag in Melbourne on August 15 in the presence of members of the Indian diaspora, Australian dignitaries, filmmakers, artists and cinema enthusiasts.
The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne will conclude on August 23.
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