Indian & Tibetan Cinema
Hindi/Urdu cinema is the most prolific in the world, churning out literally hundreds of films a year. Centred in Mumbai (once Bombay), it has earned the nickname 'Bollywood' (see 'Browse the Aisles' sub-category 'Bollywood Masala'). The cinema Western audiences are used to from India is what local audiences there would term 'art films'. These are not widely patronised in India, but many such as 'The Apu Trilogy' from Bengali director Satyajit Ray and the works of Mira Nair like 'Salaam Bombay' and 'Monsoon Wedding' have been received to great acclaim in the wider world.
This section is called 'Indian & Tibetan'. From Tibet we have (at the moment) just a handful of films. But as film makers emerge from this region Alice is committed to expanding our collection from both Tibet and India.
Mountain Patrol ( Kekexili ) (2004)
7.7/10
Director: Lu Chuan
Starring: Duobuji , Zhang Li, Qi Liang, Zhao Xueying
Based on the true story of Beijing reporter, Ga Yu, who travelled to the remote mountain region of Kekexili on China's Tibetan border to cover a story... Read more
Water (2005)
7.8/10
Director: Deepa Mehta
Starring: Seema Biswas, Lisa Ray, Jon Abrahams, Sarala , Manorama
The long-awaited and controversial third instalment of Deepa Mehta's Elemental Trilogy, the film production was shut down in 2000 by Hindu fundamental... Read more
Bandit Queen (1994)
7.6/10
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Starring: Seema Biswas, Nirmal Pandey, Manoj Bajpai
Based on the true-life of Phoolan Devi, a lower-class woman who was sold at age 11 by her family as a child bride but later escaped. Challenging her c... Read more
Mr and Mrs Iyer (2002)
8/10
Director: Aparna Sen
Starring: Rahul Bose, Konkona Sensharma, Esha Chauhan
Meenakshi Iyer (Konkona Sensharma) is travelling by bus with her baby son Santanam, and before boarding, is introduced to wildlife photographer Raja C... Read more
Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003)
8.2/10
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Starring: Sunil Dutt, Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Gracy Singh
Munna Bhai is a happy man. He lives with his friends in Mumbai, takes pride in being a 'social worker', and enjoys his booze, babes, brawls followed b... Read more
Pather Panchali ( Apu Trilogy Part 1 ) (1955)
8.4/10
Director: Satyajit Ray
Starring: Kanu Banerji, Karuna Banerji, Subir Banerji
A boy named Apu is born to a poor but proud Brahmin family. His loving older sister, Durga, is a sweet girl, but has formed the bad habit of stealing... Read more
Salaam Bombay! (1988)
8/10
Director: Mira Nair
Starring: Shafiq Syed, Sarfuddin Quarrassi, Raju Barnad
An international critical favourite focusing on Krishna, a 10-year-old boy on his own who falls in with prostitutes, drug dealers, crooked cops and th... Read more
1971 (2007)
8/10
Director: Amrit Sagar
Starring: Manoj Bajpai, Ravi Kishan, Manav Kaul, Deepak Dobriyal, Kumud Mishra, Chittaranj...
Set against the backdrop of a POW camp in Pakistan, Amrit Sagar's directorial debut follows six Indian prisoners, awaiting release after their capture... Read more
Chalte Chalte (2003)
6.6/10
Director: Aziz Mirza
Starring: Rani Mukerji, Shahrukh Khan
Priya and Raj are two sides of a coin, different as chalk and cheese. Raj is an impulsive middle class, hard working, emotional fellow. He allows Cupi... Read more
Three Idiots (2009)
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Starring: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor
Two friends embark on a quest for their lost buddy and along the way recall a long forgotten bet, crash a wedding and come across a funeral that gets... Read more