Dive Into The Archives Of Old Bollywood At This Mumbai Film Festival

The monsoons have finally decided to grace us with their presence and while we are relieved that the prolonged summer heat has come to an end we also know that making those weekend plans just got tougher. Don’t worry we got your back! There is a classic film festival in town for all you folks looking for a stay-dry hangout spot!

This weekend film festival through July has been organised by The National Film Development Corporation Of India at Harkat Studios in Versova and G5A Foundation For Contemporary Culture in Worli. The films to be screened at the festival are largely from the canon of Hindi Parallel Cinema of the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Here is what you should expect at Harkat Studio - an old bungalow turned studio tucked in cosy corner of the city. The weekend jumpstarts with Sudhir Mishra’s Dharavi; a window into the life of Asia’s largest slum. The next day starts with Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay that chronicles the lives of street children in Mumbai and the evening ends with Shyam Benegal’s Mammo; a reflection of the interfusion of human and political relationships during the 1947 Partition of India. The following weekend begins with Ketan Mehta’s Mirch Masala; with the star cast of Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil it is set in colonial India where the conflict between a lecherous tax collector and the feisty local woman unfolds against a searing arid landscape. If issue based films are not your idea of a great weekend plan you can watch the festival’s lighter films; Kundan Shah’s Jaane Bhi Doh Yaaro; a satire on the rampant corruption in India which will have you in bouts of uncontrollable laughter, followed by Rajat Kapoor’s Raghu Romeo a drama based on the waiter of a dance bar whose romantic aspirations take a dark turn.

The last week of July the festival comes to G5A Contemporary Culture with the Saeed Akhtar Mirza Retrospective. It begins with a documentary on Akhtar; a stalwart of Hindi Parallel Cinema followed by his films like Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Daastan, Naseem and Salim Langde Pe Mat Roa, three remarkable films from his impressive oeuvre.

All the films showcased at the festival have been nationally or internationally acclaimed and if you are looking for a break from the Bollywood masala pictures the ones to be screened at this festival are cinematic gems you don’t want to miss out on. Moreover most of the screenings will end with an interactive session with the director!

Schedule For Film Screenings At Harkat Studio

21 July - Fri - 7.00 PM - Dharavi

22 July - Sat - 12.00 PM - Salaam Bombay

22 July - Sat - 4.00 PM - Mammo

22 July - Sat - 7.30 PM - Mirch Masala

23 July - Sun - 4.00 PM - Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron

30 July - Sun - 12.00 PM - Raghu Romeo

Schedule For Film Screenings At G5A Foundation For Contemporary Culture

29 July - Sat- 6pm - Documentary On Saeed Akhtar Mirza

30 July - Sun - 12pm - Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastan

30 July - Sun - 4pm - Naseem

30 July - Sun - 6pm - Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro

All tickets for the film are priced at INR 150 and can be bought here.

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