12 iconic Indian films to be screened at the Academy Museum
There’s more for cinephiles who are looking forward to the Oscars that will be held on March 2. India will have its own movie fest in Los Angeles soon after. A first for Indian cinema, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles will screen 12 iconic films from India from March 7 to April 19 as part of a guest programme titled, ‘Emotion in Colour: A Kaleidoscope of Indian Cinema’.
The event includes celebrated masterpieces such as Mother India, Manthan, Amar Akbar Anthony, Ishanou, Kummatty, Mirch Masala, Devdas, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Jodhaa Akbar, Kanchenjungha, Maya Darpan and Iruvar, each offering a unique perspective into Indian cinema’s extraordinary relationship with colour, culture and storytelling.
This series has been curated by filmmaker and preservationist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, the founding director of the Film Heritage Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving India’s cinematic legacy. The series aims to emphasise the vast richness and diversity of Indian cinema, spanning decades, regions, languages and genres. Featured films encapsulate the grandeur of period dramas, the defiant voices of feminist narratives during colonial rule, and the hopes of a newly independent nation. They delve into intricate political dramas, the escapist joy of romance, and reflective works of parallel and experimental cinema.
The series has been curated by Shivendra Singh Dungarpur
Dungarpur says, “When the Academy Museum invited me to curate a program of Indian films, I saw a rare opportunity to present the unparalleled diversity and vibrancy of Indian cinema in colour to a largely unfamiliar audience. In India, colour is woven into the fabric of our culture and artistry, which is evident in our cinema. Beyond Hindi cinema, India boasts five major film industries — Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Bengali — that collectively produce over 2,000 films annually, alongside a multitude of productions in other languages and dialects from every corner of the country. These twelve films are more than just a celebration of cinematic artistry; they are a vivid mosaic of language, culture and colour, offering audiences in Los Angeles a glimpse into the boundless kaleidoscope of Indian cinema.”
THE FILM SCREENINGS
Mother India (Hindi / 1957) – directed by Mehboob Khan
Manthan (Hindi / 1976) – directed by Shyam Benegal
Amar Akbar Anthony (Hindi / 1977) – directed by Manmohan Desai
Ishanou (Manipuri./ 1990) – directed by Aribam Syam Sharma
Kummatty (Malayalam / 1979) – directed by Aravindan Govindan
Mirch Masala (Hindi / 1987) – directed by Ketan Mehta
Devdas (Hindi / 2002) – directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (Hindi / 1995) – directed by Aditya Chopra
Jodhaa Akbar (Hindi / 2008) – directed by Ashutosh Gowariker
Kanchenjungha (Bengali /1962) – directed by Satyajit Ray
Maya Darpan (Hindi / 1972) – directed by Kumar Shahani
Iruvar (Tamil / 1997) – directed by Mani Ratnam
