LEKHA SHANKAR

Bombay Talkies'- An Ode to Indian Cinema 

Cannes Festival, 2013   - Country Focus :  INDIA

INDIA is the Country in focus,at this year's Cannes Festival ! Why ? Because the country which boasts of the largest film indutry in the world, celebrates its 100 Anniversary,this year!

A special film 'BOMBAY TALKIES" ,specially created for the festival, will have a gala screening. It's made up of four arresting short films by four of the most talented contemporary directors of the Mumbai film industry-Karan Johar,Anurag Kashyap, Dipab Bannerjee, Zoya Akthar. In the short space of 20 minutes, every film captures the total rhythmic and emotional dynamics of Hindi cinema. More exciting is the fact that every film is totally different in subject and style from the other.  

The highlight of the film is a spectacular song-dance sequence, at the end, where almost every well-known star of the Mumbai film industry, sings and swings, to celebrate the film,and the 100th anniversary of the world's largest film industry.

It must be mentioned here, that Mumbai does not represent the whole of the Indian film industry, although it's the best-known, globally. The regional cinema of the country is vast, rich, and varied too.

Anyway,it was extra enjoyable to watch the film in India, with Indian audiences, who clapped, whistled, roared with delight - like the way they they have been doing the last 100 years--!

With audiences like this, the Indian film industry will doubtless remain Numero Uno, in the world !

Here's the grand INDIAN Film line-up at the Cannes Festival, from 15-26 MAY :

' Bombay Talkies ', special screening, 'UGLY', directed by Anurag Kashyap, in the 'Directors Fortnight' section, 'DABBA' and 'MONSOON SHORTCUT' ,produced by Anurag Kashyap in the Cannes Critics section. Yes,this Director has become a 'regular' at Cannes- his film 'Gangs of Wasseypur' was screened there,last year.

The INDIAN Film Stars' line-up is pretty spectacular too: top Bollywood actress VIDYA BALAN is on the Main Jury, renowned indie actress NANDITA DAS is on the Short Films Jury, and finally, the legendary AMITABH BACHCHAN is slated to attend the Gala Opening with daughter-in-law -actress and Loreal rep, AISHWARYA RAI. Why? Because he stars in the Opening Film of the Festival- Baz Luhrmann's ' The Great Gatsby ' ! It's the Hollywood debut of Bollywood's greatest superstar !

We can't wait for it---

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