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.
Yes Boss (1997)
6.9/10
Director: Aziz Mirza
Starring: Shahrukh Khan, Aditya Pancholi, Juhi Chawla, Kashmira Shah
Ambitious young ad executive, Rahul, will do anything to keep his boss happy - including arranging his extra-marital flings. When his boss starts dat... Read more
Khamoshi - The Musical (1996)
7.5/10
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Nana Patekar, Salman Khan
In this musical drama from India, Annie (Manisha Koirala) had known adversity from the moment she was born. The daughter of a pair of deaf-mutes, Jose... Read more
Fire (1996)
7.3/10
Director: Deepa Mehta
Starring: Dilip Mehta, Alice Poon, Nandita Das, Shabana Azmi
The subject of bans and protests throughout India, this taboo-breaking erotic tale focuses on the relationship of Sita, the wife of a grocery store ow... 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
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
The Chess Players (1977)
7.8/10
Director: Satyajit Ray
Starring: Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Richard Attenborough
Lucknow 1856, two nawabs play chess incessantly while the rule of the province becomes increasingly a pawn in the British game of taking over all of I... Read more
Kati Patang (1970)
7.2/10
Director: Shakti Samanta
Starring: Rajesh Khanna, Asha Parekh
A Bollywood installment for the hopelessly romantic. Asha Parekh stars as Madhavi, a woman who makes a fateful decision on her wedding day and is then... Read more
Saathi (1967)
6.6/10
Director: Sridhar
Starring: Rajendra Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, Vyjayanthimala
Raj, Simi and Vyjayantimala grew up together. Simi is in love with Raj, but he doesn't realise and marries Vy. When Vy gets ill she runs away not wa... Read more
Gumnaam (1965)
7.2/10
Eight people are trapped on an island when their plane abandons them. They find a large mansion whose butler is expecting them. Then one by one, they... Read more
Gunga Jumna (1961)
7.6/10
Director: Nitin Bose
Starring: Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala , Nasir Khan, Azra
This classic tale of two brothers seething with star-crossed love, tragic misunderstanding and revenge owes a debt to Hollywood's '30s gangster flicks... Read more