French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Mumbai on Tuesday included a special interaction with leading figures from the Indian film industry, highlighting the growing cultural ties between India and France. Macron, who arrived in the city with First Lady Brigitte Macron on February 17, was received at the airport by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
During his stay, the French President met actors Anil Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee, Shabana Azmi and Richa Chadha, along with filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, director Neeraj Ghaywan and Grammy-winning composer Ricky Kej.
Sharing photographs from the meeting on social media, the French President described the gathering as a moment that reflected the power of cultural exchange. "Alongside legends of Indian cinema. Culture brings us together," he wrote.
Anil Kapoor also posted images from the interaction and called it an inspiring exchange of ideas. He said the discussion touched on cinema, storytelling and the strong creative bridge between the two countries, adding that such conversations open the door for future collaborations.
The meeting took place during Macron's three-day visit to India, which is focused on strengthening strategic and economic cooperation. Earlier in the day, he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the two leaders held discussions on defence ties, trade, artificial intelligence, counter-terrorism efforts and the expanding India-France strategic partnership.
Sharing a picture from their meeting on X, Modi wrote, "It's a delight to meet my friend, President Macron in Mumbai! He told me he really likes the city and also enjoyed his run earlier in the day!"
During his time in Mumbai, Macron also paid tribute to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks, in a gesture of solidarity against terrorism.
After Mumbai, President Macron will travel to New Delhi for the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, where global leaders and tech experts will discuss the future of artificial intelligence and sustainable development.
Macron has visited India several times, including for the 2023 G20 Summit and the 2024 Republic Day celebrations, and his current trip aims to further strengthen ties in defence, technology, climate and culture.
The interaction with film personalities added a softer diplomatic touch to the tour, underlining the role of cinema and the arts in strengthening people-to-people connections between the two nations.
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