CATEGORY

Through their trademark blend of kaleidoscopic melodrama, lavish production values and gyrating dance sequences, Bollywood films are winning over a growing audience and earning an increasingly significant place in global popular culture. With a yearly average between 150 to 200 productions, the prolific film industry of Bombay (Mumbai) moves at a frenetic pace. Casts and crews are caught up in endless shooting schedules. Composers and music directors constantly pen songs for playback singers to record and stars to mime to, as choreographers map out the Subcontinent and beyond in dance steps to be performed by legions of dancers. Palatial sets are constructed and then demolished by armies of tradesmen, and presses never cool between runs of film posters, printed to adorn much of the wall space in the city. Through its films Bombay remains a city of promise and endless possibilities, drawing impoverished rural migrants and Bollywood aspirants alike, all seeking the salvation of either the film industry itself, or the prosperity depicted in its films. 'Bollywood: Behind The Scenes, Beyond The Stars' celebrates the Bombay film industry, shedding light on the people who work silently behind the scenes and on the fringe, offering a glimpse into the lives and work of some of Bollywood's biggest stars, and paying tribute to the city of mystifying contradictions. The Bollywood film industry is among the world's most prolific, with literally hundreds of film being released annually. Not surprisingly, in the Indian city of Bombay (Mumbai) which is home to Bollywood, the film industry has become a part of daily living. There, Bollywood stars appear even larger than life, on huge billboards everywhere, promoting everything - from their latest film releases to the most mundane of the household products. Theme songs from Bollywood films are also heard everywhere, blaring out from taxis and shops. Elsewhere in the city, the people engage in a variety of jobs that support this