Indian Film

Song and dance has played a pivotal role in subcontinental cinema since the All-India pictures of the early sound era. The emphasis on spectacle, escapism and entertainment persists in the masala movies that draw vast audiences across India and its diaspora. However, the 1950s saw the rise of a Parallel Cinema that was dominated by Satyajit Ray,... show more >

Song and dance has played a pivotal role in subcontinental cinema since the All-India pictures of the early sound era. The emphasis on spectacle, escapism and entertainment persists in the masala movies that draw vast audiences across India and its diaspora. However, the 1950s saw the rise of a Parallel Cinema that was dominated by Satyajit Ray, who introduced a new literary sophistication that was eventually complemented by a political advocacy that was taken up by the likes of Ritwik Ghatak and Adoor Gopalkrishnan. Bollywood continues to dominate the Indian scene, but the likes of Mira Nair ensure that the Parallel tradition persists. < show less