The London INDIAN Film Festival launches begins on July 15

This article was last updated on June 18, 2022

Canada: Free $30 Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Free $30 Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

The London INDIAN Film Festival launches begins on July 15 By devansh patel The London Indian Film Festival launches from July 15- 20 in London with a range of cutting-edge movies from some of India’s hottest independent talents, we aren’t talking Bollywood here, but films that challenge, make you think and show a more realistic view of India today in all its colour and diversity. The Festival’s selection of films are screened across London, opening in the city centre at Cineworld (Haymarket), then Barbican, Nehru Centre, Watermans and Genesis cinemas. The Festival covers a wide range of themes from family dramas, coming-of age tales to twisted urban romance. What pervades many of these movies is a new more assured Indian cool, experimenting with cinematic styles, new technology and influenced by themes both East and West, which has helped them win favour with the young in-crowd in super cities like Mumbai. The London Indian Film Festival opens at Cineworld (Haymarket) on July 15 with the UK premiere of the challenging Love, Sex Aur Dhokha, (Love, Sex and Betrayal) , by director, Dibakar Banerjee. Through three intertwined tales, this controversial film explores sexuality, voyeurism, love and betrayal in modern India. The film has un-known actors, but it’s radical revision -challenging the romantic Indian fairy-tale romance was a big box office hit when it was released in India in March. Of course being an Opening Night expect some VIPs to turn up! Other highlights in this festival include the high-impact City of Gold, by the maverick director, Mahesh Manjrekar, on the forgotten history of mill workers of Mumbai, whose livelihoods were crushed when the mills were converted into the glitzy shopping malls and five star hotels.

Meanwhile, Last Chance Mumbai is a sophisticated multi-strand ensemble exploring the connective lives of the city’s inhabitants over a 24 hour period by acclaimed director, Saeed Akhtar Mirza. Road To Sangam directed by Amit Rai, explores ideas of Nation India and sometimes conflicting religious identity. It tells the story of one Muslim man’s desire to help take Mahatma Gandhi’s remaining ashes to the holy river and explores how many Muslims in India seem themselves 60 years after independence. The closing movie is the UK premiere Vihir (The Well) by award winning director Umesh Kulkarni (world premiered at Berlin), which is stunningly filmed amongst the grandeur of the rolling Indian plains of two adolescent friends who inspire each other’s journey to manhood. London INDIAN film Festival partners from across the industry are supporting the Festival. The Satyajit Foundation’s Ray Short Film Competition has joined the Festival with the winning filmmaker receiving a £1,000 Award on 20 July at Cineworld, Haymarket. More guests are expected to be confirmed nearer the time.

Detailed listings are attached below.

Listings Information:

CENTRAL LONDON VENUE Thursday 15 July Opening Night UK Premiere Cineworld Haymarket Tel: 0871 200 2000 Tickets: £9.50 (conc.: £7.50) 7.00pm Love, Sex Aur Dhokha (Love, Sex & Betrayal), followed by Q&A with director, Dibakar Banerjee Running time 150 mins approx, Release 2010 Hindi with English sub-titles Shocking and gripping, this international version of hit film Love, Sex Aur Dhokha pulls no punches as it introduces us to the surveillance crammed world of today’s mega-city India. Deftly told through 3 inter-twinned stories, Banerjee takes us on a roller coaster ride of twisted tales of young love, soaked in betrayal.

Friday 16 July Nehru Centre, 8 South Audley Street, London W1K 1HF FREE but rsvp essential e: rsvp@nehrucentre.org.uk Tel: 020 7491 3567 3.00pm Satyajit Ray Foundation’s Short Film Award nominees screening at Nehru Centre Tuesday 20 July Cineworld Haymarket Tel: 0871 200 2000 Tickets: £9.50 (conc.: £7.50) 7pm Satyajit Ray Foundation’s Short Film Award announced, followed by Closing Night film, VIHIR (THE WELL) Q&A with director, Umesh Kulkarni and producer Girish Kulkarni after screening Running Time (117 mins), Release 2010 Language: Marathi with English subtitles A wonderfully moving coming of age tale, stunningly filmed amongst the grandeur of the rolling Indian plains. Two adolescent best friends inspire each other as they grow up, until one makes a fateful decision that will change the others life forever.

CITY Saturday 17 July Barbican Cinema Tel: 020 7 638 8891 Tickets: Standard: £7.50 online (£9.50 full price) Barbican Members: £6.50 online (£7.50 full price) Concessions: £7.50 7.45pm Last Chance Mumbai Dir. Saeed Akhtar Mirza Running time 120 mins approx, Release 2009 Hindi with English subtitles ‘Monsoon Wedding’ actor Vijay Raaz leads an impressive cast of characters in this multi-strand ensemble, set in the megalopolis of modern Mumbai, that explores the connected lives of the city’s varied inhabitants over the same 24 hour period. Raaz (a thief), sparks a sequence of events that bring all our characters lives into head long collision. Sunday 18 July Eastern Eye Gala at Barbican 3.45pm Road to Sangam Writer /Dir. Amit Rai Running time (135 mins), Release 2010 With English subtitles A last urn of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes are discovered and have to be taken to the confluence (Sangam) of the holy rivers. A Moslem mechanic is tasked to prepare Gandhi’s vehicle but inter-religious strife lead to him being torn between his morals. Featuring a cameo appearance by Tushar Gandhi (grandson of the Mahatma) with Indian cinema greats, Paresh Rawal and Om Puri (East is East).

EAST LONDON Genesis Cinema 93-95 Mile End Road London E1 4UJ 020 7780 2000 Ticket Prices Mon-Thurs Full price £6.00, Student/ Concessions £5.00 Weekend Full price £7.50, Student/Concessions £5.00 Other ticket prices available for senior, children and families

Friday 16 July 7.00pm City of Gold Sunday 18 July 7.00pm City of Gold Dir. Mahesh Manjrekar Running Time (142 mins), Release April 2010, with Seema Biswas. Hindi with English subtitles This is a powerful tale about the untold story behind today’s Mumbai – regarded by many as the ‘City of Gold’. The Dhuri family of mill workers, headed by their strong-willed mother, played by Seema Biswas (Bandit Queen), live on the edge of the slums. They struggle to survive the abyss of poverty as Mumbai’s great mills are struck down by political corruption and commercial greed, to make way for glittering new shopping malls and five star hotels.

Monday 19 July 7.00pm Road to Sangam Writer /Dir. Amit Rai Running time (135 mins), Release 2010 With English subtitles A last urn of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes are discovered and have to be taken to the confluence (Sangam) of the holy rivers. A Moslem mechanic is tasked to prepare Gandhi’s vehicle but inter-religious strife lead to him being torn between his morals. Featuring a cameo appearance by Tushar Gandhi (grandson of the Mahatma) with Indian cinema greats, Paresh Rawal and Om Puri (East is East). WEST LONDON Watermans 40 High Street, Brentford, TW8 0DS Box Office: 020 8232 1010 Tickets: £7.50 (£6.00 conc.)

Friday 16 July 8pm Dev D Dir. Anurag Kashyap / Script Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap / with Abhay Deol, Mahie Gill, Kalki Koechlin / 2009 Hindi with English subtitles Trailblazer of a younger generation of Indian directors Anurag Kashyap brings a brilliant, luxuriantly visual re-telling to the classic story of Devdas, who treats his girlfriend in the wrong way and ends up the broken hearted lover. Saturday 17 July 8pm Love Sex Aur Dhokha (Love, Sex And Betrayal) Running time 150 mins approx, Release 2010 Hindi with English sub-titles Shocking and gripping, this international version of hit film Love, Sex Aur Dhokha pulls no punches as it introduces us to the surveillance crammed world of today’s mega-city India. Deftly told through 3 inter-twinned stories, Banerjee takes us on a roller coaster ride of twisted tales of young love, soaked in betrayal.

Sunday 18 July 7pm Last Chance Mumbai (Ek Tho Mumbai) Last Chance Mumbai Dir. Saeed Akhtar Mirza Running time 120 mins approx, Release 2009 Hindi with English subtitles ‘Monsoon Wedding’ actor Vijay Raaz leads an impressive cast of characters in this multi-strand ensemble, set in the megalopolis of modern Mumbai, that explores the connected lives of the city’s varied inhabitants over the same 24 hour period. Raaz (a thief), sparks a sequence of events that bring all our characters lives into head long collision.

Share with friends
You can publish this article on your website as long as you provide a link back to this page.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*