WHAT IS IT?
In January 2009 Cornerhouse launched a rolling monthly programme of films which will celebrate Indian Cinema, offering a unique opportunity to learn about India’s multi-faceted culture and long history of filmmaking. Spanning classic, new, fresh and noteworthy Bollywood films, this is an opportunity to enter a world that’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced!
Bollywood and Beyond starts with a series of films celebrating the world’s best-loved actor and hero, the Indian superstar Amitabh Bachchan.
AMITABH BACHCHAN
Frequently cited as the most popular Hindi or Bollywood superstar ever, following a career spanning four decades and an appearance in over 700 films, Amitabh, son of a noted Hindi poet, was a stage actor, radio announcer, and freight company executive before a film actor. Initially he had difficultly being accepted as an actor, but eventually his productions determined the entire health of the Hindi film industry. He shot to fame in blockbusters such as DEEWAR (1975) and SHOLAY (1975), in which he established the brooding, melancholic anti-hero, an angry young man – an accumulation of the influence of Hollywood and European film culture, an Indian literary tradition and Hindi films of the 50/60s. Bachchan famously injured himself during the making of Coolie in 1982, and there was daily radio and press reports charting his recovery from the near-fatal accident. His popularity declined as he moved briefly into politics but he returned to form with HUM (1991), where his bachelor figure represents the mistreated workers and sorts out the bad guys. After a temporary retirement, some lukewarm reviews and a few ill-fated business deals, he then once again revived himself with more mature roles such as MOHABBATEIN (2001) and KABHI KHUSHI KABHI GHAM (2001), whilst also cementing his mature star statue presenting the hugely successful Hindi version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? He was voted Star of the Millennium in a BBC poll. More recently he has starred in the acclaimed Shootout at Lokhandwala, Nishabd and Sarkar Raj; a remake of SHOLAY (RAM GOPAL VARMA KI AAG) flopped whilst his first English language film THE LAST LEAR garnered excellent reviews.
WHICH FILMS ARE YOU SHOWING?
SHOLAY, Mon 19 January 17:00
Don’t miss ZANJEER, the film that launched Amitabh Bachchan as a screen legend, showing at Cornerhouse in February. Please check back soon for screening times.
HOW CAN I KEEP INFORMED ON THE FILMS?
Simply sign up on the left hand side of this page, and select “South Asian” from our e-bulletins list. That way you can be the firt to hear from us when the programme is confirmed, special events or related films.