Perth's new Indian film council positions WA as a gateway to India's screen industry
Western Australia has formally entered the India creative economy with the launch of the West Australian Indian Film Council in September 2026, backed by state Premier Roger Cook. On the dining front, a Perth restaurant called Sauma is drawing critical attention for a menu that goes well beyond the familiar standbys of Australian-Indian cooking.
🎬 West Australian Indian Film Council opens a new chapter in WA-India creative ties
A formal new bridge between Western Australia's creative industries and India's vast screen ecosystem was established on Friday, September 11, 2026, with the launch of the West Australian Indian Film Council. WA Premier Roger Cook presided over the event, which brought together senior figures from government, screen industry bodies, the diplomatic community, and the broader business sector. The Council — known as WAIFC — is structured as an independent not-for-profit organisation, with Nilesh Makwana serving as its founding Chair and Director. Makwana has articulated the Council's central logic around geography: Perth sits closer to Mumbai than Sydney does, giving Western Australia a natural position as a gateway between Australia and India across the Indian Ocean region. The historical connection runs deep — Fearless Nadia, one of the pioneering stars of early Indian cinema, was born Mary Ann Evans in Perth in 1908 before moving to India as a child and becoming an icon of the screen. WAIFC's work will span film, television, streaming, animation, visual effects and digital content, facilitating co-productions, talent exchanges, investment pathways, education partnerships, and festival connections between the two countries' creative communities. [2]
🍛 Sauma puts the breadth of Indian cuisine on show in Perth
Perth's dining scene has found a new champion for the depth of Indian cuisine in Sauma, a modern Indian bar and restaurant reviewed by food writer Max Veenhuyzen in WAtoday's Good Food section in July 2026. Veenhuyzen positions the venue as a deliberate departure from the narrowly defined version of Indian food that most Australian diners encounter, describing Sauma as a place that feels approachable and adventurous, fun yet focused. The restaurant's concept steps away from the dishes — butter chicken chief among them — that have come to define Indian food in Australian takeaway culture, aiming instead to represent the subcontinent's remarkable range of regional cooking styles. A selection of dishes across the menu demonstrates that range: tandoor-roasted chicken thighs arrive dressed with mint and green chilli in a way that the reviewer suggests could restore confidence in chicken tikka, while the pumpkin pasanda combines roasted pumpkin with hung yoghurt, nuts and herbs. Fried lamb ribs also feature on the menu. The restaurant's bar format alongside the dining room gives the venue a casual, exploratory character that takes the food seriously. [5]
Sources: [2] thecurb.com.au · [5] WAtoday