3 Idiots to be screened in Australia to help improve ties

"Those incidents (of attacks on Indians) are sad, but one wouldn't like to say that every person, every Australian walking along the street is against Indians, I would never like to say that," Hirani said.

Mukherjee, often referred to as the Queen of Bollywood, said that their visit is for a bigger cause. "We are here to promote our movies culturally. We are here for the large number of Australians who love our cinema. We are for the Indians and the Asian communities who watch our movies, so we are here for a greater cause. Just a few people believe in hatred," she said. Mukherjee said that Bollywood films resonated with audiences around the world because they were "all about heart".

Director of the Film Festival Mitu Lange hopes the event will be a cultural bridge between the Australian and Indian communities. The organisers hope to draw a large number of Indian students to the festival under which films will be screened in cities like Sydney, Perth and Auckland in New Zealand.

"We have made a conscious attempt to be like a cultural bridge between the two countries," Lange said, adding two free film screenings at Melbourne's Federation Square on Thursday and Saturday were aimed at the city's international students. "We are doing this so that all our Indian students, not only our Indian students but international students, can bring their friends, bring their beanbags and just make a night of it and watch these great films under the star," Lange said.

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