Guests

“India makes more films than any other country in the world”. This is an often cited fact. But how are Indian films changing today as India stands on the threshold of becoming a global superpower? Will larger than life heroes continue to break into song? Will damsels still wave their scarves as they run through blooming mustard fields with uncontainable joy? This year the Prague Bollywood Festival takes on these questions.

“Independent India – Addicted to Bollywood” is our theme. We ask: What is the significance of Hindi cinema sixty years after India gained its independence? What defined commercial Indian films then and what defines them now? What is the global impact of Bollywood as India gears up towards further market expansions? What can these new realities mean for the Czech Republic? Our films this year span the full spectrum of films coming out of India’s commercial film hub today. This year, candy-floss, music and dance laden extravaganzas collide with film as raw social critique. High budget glossy productions rub against persistent-yet-broke idealism of film as creative expression. Contrasts run rampant as we evaluate what Hindi film was, is and may become.

To help us consider these questions we have invited guests from Mumbai who are involved in, benefit from or directly challenge India’s fast changing commercial film industry. We look forward to welcoming:

Rahul Dholakia, the award winning director of Parzania, a film set in the midst of Gujarat’s communal conflict, will attend premiere screening of his film in Prague. (www.serenepictures.com)

Hemang Savla, the CEO of Benzer department stores Pvt Ltd will share his expertise on the links that exist between film and India’s thriving fashion industry. (www.benzerworld.com)

Karan Bali, the filmmaker and founder of the legendary film history and criticism upperstall website, brings his vast expertise on Indian cinema to the Czech Republic. www.upperstall.com

We also look forward to welcoming London based representatives of the Yash Raj film distribution company.

To celebrate this meeting in true Bollywood style, Munich Masala returns to Prague to DJ the Bollywood Party at PM Klub. The party begins at 10pm on October 13th