Ciao to the Italians and Namaste to the Indians as they have now become the third largest migrant community in Australia, behind the English and the Kiwis. Besides Indian cuisine, Bollywood cinema is another factor that is having a huge impact on Aussie multiculturalism.
Bollywood has easily become a hit with the young – its lively music and hip swinging dances mixed with a rich blend of romance, adventure and fantasy in a style all of its own.
Now days you will be surprised to find a Bollywood DVD store in every nook and corner of Sydney with a customer base spreading beyond the Indian immigrants into other communities.
In Sydney Bollywood movies with English subtitles are now regularly being screened at selected cinemas. Kabhi Alvida Naa Kahena (KANK) meaning Never Say Goodbye has been running full house everyday since its recent realease at Hoyts Merrylands. The cast includes some Bollywood megastars– the tall guy Amitabh Bachchan also called the Big B and Sharukh Khan famously nicknamed King Khan by his fans.
KANK will be a key attraction for this year's forthcoming Indian Film Festival, an annual event presented by MG Distribution who brings in the latest block busters from Mumbai for the lovers of Indian cinema in Australia.
Now in its 4th year, this year's festival in Sydney at the Cinema Paris from 6-18 October, presents over 20 films which include award winning director Aparna Sen's 15 Park Avenue –a haunting portrait of schizophrenia, Fanna (Destroyed in Love)- a blend of romance and thriller, Chup Chup Ke (Silently)–an entertaining comedy and Maine Gandhi ko Nahin Mara (I did not kill Gandhi) – a drama about a retired teacher suffering from traumatic memory of being accused of murdering Gandhi.
A special feature of this year's program is a retrospective of the films made by India's leading film maker Yash Chopra. He will be personally present at the opening night which will screen his 1976 classic Kabhi Kabhi (At times) starring today's Big B Amitabh Bachchan in is early years.
There will be another captivating film at the opening night – Rang De Basanti (Paint it Yellow), a story about India's struggle for freedom as seen by today's generation.
All films will have English subtitles. To add glory to the program, the festival this year brings in a large contingent of Indian film personalities which includes Simi Garewal, the veteran actress of over 65 films and star of the Conrad Rooks Hollywood hit Siddhartha which will also screened at the festival.
After Sydney the Indian film festival will be held in Melbourne from October 11 – 25.
For more information please see www.mgdistribution.com.au
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