Emmanuel Macron meets with superstars, including Manoj Bajpayee and Anil Kapoor

On February 17, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Mumbai to meet with prominent figures in the Indian film business. His three-day official tour to India included the meeting. Bollywood celebrities Shabana Azmi, Anil Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee, Zoya Akhtar, Richa Chadha, and Grammy-winning composer Ricky Kej were among those present.

The significance of cultural exchange between France and India is highlighted by Macron’s current visit. The event brought to light common passions for the arts and movies.”Alongside legends of Indian cinema,” Macron said on X, sharing images from the event. We are united by our culture.

Actor Anil Kapoor reflected on the meeting and described the experience as uplifting. “Spent an inspiring afternoon with President Emmanuel Macron and his gracious better half, Brigitte, exchanging thoughts on cinema and culture , and the powerful bridge between India and France. Here’s to India x France And to many more stories waiting to be told (sic),” he wrote on X.

Actor Manoj Bajpayee also shared his experience on X and wrote, “It was an honour meeting President Emmanuel Macron at today’s luncheon, along with other dignitaries. What stood out was not just the warmth of the interaction with him, but the clarity and depth of the exchange around cinema, culture, and the role of storytelling in building bridges between countries (sic).”

“Conversations like these, on how India and France can work together more closely in cinema and culture, remind you of how important thoughtful leadership and cultural dialogue are in today’s world (sic),” the actor further recalled.

In an official statement, Richa shared, “I was thrilled to meet the French President 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.”

She recalled  saying, “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,” she continued. The actor concluded by saying, “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.”

On Monday evening, Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron arrived in Mumbai. Meetings with Indian officials, the AI Impact Summit, and encounters with figures from the arts and cultural fields are all on the French president’s schedule. 

Macron was welcomed to Mumbai by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who called him a friend. Macron said he liked the city and had gone for a morning run earlier in the day, according to a post Modi made on X.  This is the fourth time the French president has visited India. It highlights the need of maintaining a strong cooperation between the two nations.