New Delhi [India], February 21: Iconic Indian films such as Mother India, Amar Akbar Anthony, Devdas, and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge will be showcased at the prestigious Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. The museum will present “Emotion in Colour: A Kaleidoscope of Indian Cinema,” a curated selection of 12 landmark films from India, which will run from March 7 to April 19, 2025.
The series explores the role of color in Indian cinema and its transformative influence on visual storytelling and emotional expression. The program highlights the rich and diverse history of Indian cinema, covering various decades, regions, languages, and genres. The selected films reflect the grandeur of period dramas, the feminist voices of colonial-era narratives, and the aspirations of a newly independent India.
The eclectic selection includes iconic 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 film offers a unique perspective on the interplay between color, culture, and storytelling in Indian cinema.
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, who curated the program, shared his thoughts, saying, “In India, color is intricately woven into our culture and artistry, and this is vividly reflected in our cinema. When the Academy Museum invited me to curate a series of Indian films, I saw it as a rare opportunity to showcase the unparalleled vibrancy and diversity of Indian cinema to an audience largely unfamiliar with it.”
Dungarpur further emphasized the diversity of Indian cinema, noting, “Apart from Hindi cinema, India is home to five major film industries—Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Bengali—that collectively produce over 2,000 films each year. These twelve films represent more than just cinematic art; they are a colorful mosaic of language, culture, and history, offering Los Angeles audiences a glimpse into the boundless kaleidoscope of Indian cinema.”
Here is the full schedule of screenings:
- Saturday, March 7 – Mother India (Hindi / 1957) – Directed by Mehboob Khan
- Monday, March 10 – Manthan (Hindi / 1976) – Directed by Shyam Benegal
- Monday, March 10 – Amar Akbar Anthony (Hindi / 1977) – Directed by Manmohan Desai
- Tuesday, March 11 – Ishanou (Manipuri / 1990) – Directed by Aribam Syam Sharma
- Friday, March 14 – Kummatty (Malayalam / 1979) – Directed by Aravindan Govindan
- Tuesday, March 18 – Mirch Masala (Hindi / 1987) – Directed by Ketan Mehta
- Saturday, March 22 – Devdas (Hindi / 2002) – Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali
- Sunday, March 20 – Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (Hindi / 1995) – Directed by Aditya Chopra
- Monday, March 31 – Jodhaa Akbar (Hindi / 2008) – Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker
- Saturday, April 5 – Kanchenjungha (Bengali / 1962) – Directed by Satyajit Ray
- Tuesday, April 8 – Maya Darpan (Hindi / 1972) – Directed by Kumar Shahani
- Sunday, April 19 – Iruvar (Tamil / 1997) – Directed by Mani Ratnam