Cinema Asia: India

Story

Synopsis

While Northern India’s 100-year-old film industry is best known for flamboyant dance sequences and romantic plot lines, its directors have begun to step outside established formulas and explore grittier subject matter. This program surveys the world of Bollywood filmmaking, examining the personalities as well as the commercial and thematic concerns that drive central Asia’s answer to Tinseltown. Interviews with directors Karan Johar, Ashutosh Gowariker, and Yash Chopra are included, along with commentary from choreographers, musical directors, and Cinemaya Magazine editor Aruna Vasudev. The industry’s newfound attention to poverty, homelessness, and other social concerns is examined. Several film excerpts are included.

Director

Charith Pelpola

Language

English

Country

United States of America

Release date

1 August 2007

Ensemble

Cast

• Remesh Panicker

  Narrator

• 

  Anupam Kher

  Self

• 

  Sanjay Leela Bhansali

  Self

• Aruna Vasudev

  Self

• 

  Mrinal Sen

  Self

• 

  Jahnu Barua

  Self

• 

  Yash Chopra

  Self

• 

  Ashutosh Gowariker

  Self

• 

  Karan Johar

  Self

• 

  Vishal Bhardwaj

  Self

• 

  Urmila Matondkar

  Self

• 

  Vaibhavi Merchant

  Self