Are you a fan of Bollywood films? With 2,000 of them produced each year, there are of course good and bad ones, but their presence is an integral part of Indian society.

The Quai Branly Museum takes a in-depth look at the history of this phenomenon that can turn actors and actrices into veritable Bollywood Superstars, and it’s not far from our hotels!

For more than a century now, the Indian film industry has been showing its diversity as well as its sometimes very rigid framework for films that are as numerous as they are colourful.

From the silent movies of the 1920s to the megaproductions of the 21st century, Bollywood has ceaselessly adapted and entertained, from representations of traditional Hindu stories to superhero movies. The songs, styles and subjects have evolved, but films are still a wildly popular form of entertainment, and the country’s film industry is an important part of Indian life and culture.

The exhibition explores the roots of Indian cinema in the popular arts (travelling storytellers, shadow theatre and magic lanterns), the importance of the first mythological and historical films, the place of dance in films, the golden age of Hindi cinema between 1940 and 1960, arthouse cinema (there’s more to it than just Satyajit Ray), the beginnings of the Indian star system during the 1970s, and much more.

Linked with the exhibition there are numerous interesting events planned:

— Bollywood Sundays, with different dance events each Sunday (detailed info for each week can be found here),

— a special ball on the last Sunday of the exhibition, 14th January 2024,

— guided visits…

… and for French-speaking kids there’s a PDF leaflet to download here and a games sheet here.

The full line-up of events (and there’s a lot) can be consulted here, and an English catalogue of the exhibition is available here from your local Amazon for around 40€.

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The exhibition Bollywood Superstars is at the Quai Branly Museum (here) until 14th January 2024

Open every day except Monday from 10.30am-7pm (10pm Thursdays)

Admission: 12€ / 9€

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Une publication partagée par musée du quai Branly (@quaibranly)