Richa Chadha meets French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai, discusses Indie Cinema and Indo-French collaborations : Bollywood News

Actor Richa Chadha recently met French President Emmanuel Macron during his official visit to Mumbai, as part of an interaction with members of India’s film and creative community. The engagement was aimed at encouraging dialogue between policymakers and artists, with a focus on strengthening cultural ties between India and France.

Richa Chadha meets French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai, discusses Indie Cinema and Indo-French collaborations

Richa Chadha meets French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai, discusses Indie Cinema and Indo-French collaborationsThe gathering brought together several prominent names from the Indian film fraternity, including filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan, Zoya Akhtar, and veteran actor Shabana Azmi, among others. Photographs from the meeting were later shared by President Macron on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Richa Chadha, who has longstanding creative ties with France, has previously been honoured by the French government. In October 2023, she was conferred with the title of Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters), one of France’s highest distinctions in the field of arts and literature, recognising her contribution to cinema and cultural exchange.

Speaking about the recent meeting, Richa said, “I was thrilled to meet the French President, Mr. Macron, along with his wife, Bridgette, as a part of the artistic community from the film fraternity. Together, we had a lively discussion on what could be done to make independent cinema more feasible in both our nations. I personally am very grateful for the French CNC’s contribution in my career, both as an actor and a producer. Because Masaan and Girls Will Be Girls were both official Indo French Co Productions. Payal Kapadia’s film, which won the top-most honour at Cannes is also an Indo French Co Production. So truly, France has been a leading contributor to enhancing the quality of cinema in our parts. I am moved by how carefully he listened to us filmmakers and offered solutions to make synergies between both nations better, as far as cinema distribution is concerned”.

Richa’s films Masaan and Girls Will Be Girls were official Indo-French co-productions, reflecting the growing collaboration between the two countries.

The meeting underlined the importance of cross-border partnerships in cinema, particularly in the independent film space. As cultural collaborations continue to expand, such dialogues are expected to further strengthen distribution networks and co-production opportunities between India and France.

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