Bon appetit: Emmanuel Macron connects with Bollywood over desi ratatouille and paneer bhurji

Mumbai: French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron sat down with some of India's top filmmakers and actors in Mumbai, turning a formal engagement into an animated exchange about cinema, culture and collaboration.

The two-hour meeting over lunch, which began at 12.30 pm at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, brought together names such as Zoya Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Manoj Bajpayee, Anil Kapoor, Kabir Khan, Neeraj Ghaywan, Richa Chadha and Grammy Award-winning composer Ricky Kej.

The spirited discussion centred around how France and India can deepen collaboration through the film industries and expand the scope of storytelling.

Macron took to X to share photos from the meeting with the acclaimed Indian actors and filmmakers.

"Alongside legends of Indian cinema. Culture brings us together," he captioned the post.

Kej, who was part of the French delegation, said President Macron had lunch with Indian filmmakers and actors.

"Everybody talked about how we can bring together the relationship between France and India through filmmaking, and how we can tell French stories in India and vice versa. We also discussed how we can benefit financially and make good films that cross over between the two countries," Kej told PTI.

The lunch featured a sophisticated Indo-French fusion menu, blending classic techniques with vibrant local flavours. Guests sampled an Indian take on ratatouille, paneer bhurji dumplings, strawberry desserts and kulfi — a symbolic reminder of how traditions can merge without losing their identity.

For Anil Kapoor, the afternoon carried a personal highlight.

According to Kej, Brigitte Macron had spoken during her flight about how much she loved the 2008 Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire".

So when Kapoor walked into the room, Kej quickly introduced them.

"Madam Brigitte Macron was happy to meet Anil Kapoor. It was a huge coincidence, as yesterday on the plane, she was talking about how she loved the film "Slumdog Millionaire". Today, when Anil Kapoor walked in, I immediately took him to meet her, and she was like: 'He was there in the film'," Kej said.

Kapoor said a meaningful and forward-looking conversation followed about how India and France can strengthen their creative collaboration.

"It was encouraging to discuss how our industries, artists, and storytellers can work more closely together to build stronger cultural bridges through cinema," the veteran actor told PTI.

Kapoor expressed his gratitude, saying he was "deeply touched" by the First Lady's genuine appreciation for his work.

"What made the meeting especially memorable was the warmth and graciousness of his (the French President's) wife. She was incredibly kind and generous, and I was deeply touched to hear how familiar she was with my work and how much she appreciated the international films I've been part of," Kapoor said.

Kapoor, who played the memorable game show host in the Danny Boyle-directed drama, said the encounter stayed with him.

"What made it special was her warmth. She was incredibly kind and generous. The way she spoke about 'Slumdog Millionaire' and even 'Mission: Impossible' felt so genuine. It’s always humbling when your work travels across borders and resonates with someone in that way," the actor said.

"Slumdog Millionaire" had bagged eight awards, including two Oscars for A R Rahman for Best Original Score and Best Song for 'Jai Ho', which was penned by lyricist Gulzar.

The movie also won the award for best film, best director, and best adapted screenplay for Simon Beaufoy.

Chadha said France has been a leading contributor to enhancing the quality of cinema.

"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. Two of my films, "Masaan" and "Girls Will Be Girls" were both official Indo-French co-productions," the actor, who was conferred the title of Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) in 2023 by the French government, said.

Kej, who flew with President Macron from Paris, said he is honoured to be part of the French delegation to India.

"I was in Paris, and I was invited to be part of the delegation with President Macron and Madame Brigitte. It was a beautiful experience, and I got to have dinner with President Macron on the plane. We talked about culture, soft power, music, and the role music can play in making this world a better place," the music composer said.

President Macron is in India from February 17 to 19 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the AI Impact Summit and hold bilateral discussions. This marks his fourth visit to India — and his first to Mumbai.