IN THE ANNALS OF HISTORY: Raj Kumar with Nargis in Mother India

When the mercury soars in Britain this summer, the temperature shall be equal to the one measured in India. Confounding connections. Actually, it’s rather simple. With a colourful, vibrant series of Indian entertainment programmes poised to hit the UK television, cinema, Selfridges and the West End, it promises to be an Indian summer in the United Kingdom this year. Old and new Bollywood delights will conquer the city when the frost makes way for the hot and sultry summer.

BBC’s Channel 4 is scheduled to air a series on the women of Bollywood. Preceded by a programme on the contribution of select front-runners, the series will screen movies of the actresses. The focus will shift from the glamour dolls of Indian cinema to those actresses who have left a lasting impression on the sands of Bollywood cinema.

Nargis in Mother India is unforgettable, so are Meena Kumari in Pakeeza and Jaya Bachchan in Fiza. The producer of the series, Nasreen Munni Kabir, introduces the likes of Sadhna who had set the screen ablaze in her tight salwaar kameez and churidars. Those days, Bollywood did not have the likes of Hemant Trivedi and Rohit Bal and it was left to the actresses to carve out new styles and revolutionise trends. Sadhna caused a flutter in the world of hairstyles with her bangs, to this day identified as the “Sadhna cut”. While the tall Sadhna set new trends in fashion, the petite Bachchan paved the path for natural acting in the over-the-top, glamourous Indian movie industry.

PREPARING FOR THE ONSLAUGHT: Munni Nasreen and actor Thomas Abraham (top); screen diva Sadhna who started the trend of hair flakes called the “Sadhna Cut”

British Film Institute is also showing Indian films for its Indian Summer bonanza.

A spicy inclusion in the series is that of the spunky Nadia of Hunterwali fame. In a 1940s movie, much before the impact of women’s liberation, she had challenged men with, “If India has to become independent, women too will have to be liberated.” Truly ahead of her times.

Speaking about the series, Munni says, “These are the women who made the audience realise that there are various shades of women.”
The series, Bollywood Women, explores their feminity, power, sacrifice and strength. The movies will be subtitled in English to cater to a large non-Hindi speaking audience.

Following a peep into the contribution of heroines, another series on BBC 4 will highlight the significance of dance, choreographers and dancers, as also the contribution of music, charting its evolution from the good old b&w film days to the contemporary fare.
To capture the electric world of dances in Hindi films, Munni met Saroj Khan and Prabhu Deva to investigate the traits that qualify them as the hot favourites in the Indian film circuit. Dance and music have always been an inseparable part of Bollywood fare though the impact has under-gone several changes. For instance, in the1950s and ’60s, dance se-quences were an integral part of Hindi films. Of late, they have become an art form in themselves. Not surprisingly, choreographers and dance masters have assumed greater responsibility. “They are also the force behind a movie selling,” points out Munni.

NO ELASTIC LIMIT: Prabhu Deva

Saroj Khan goes back to the past and pulls out epoch-making movements from dance sequences down the years. Aishwarya Rai’s Nimbuda number in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam was a dance that had all the traditional movements but it was packed with a modern look. The documentary also explores Prabhu Deva’s lissome body. Deva, who comes from a family of choreographers, “has his own unique style”, says Munni.

Throwing light on the different styles of Saroj Khan and Farah Khan, Munni says, “Saroj’s style is very feminine and she keeps the conversation going with her eyes, which is brilliant. She makes the dancers move very sensuously and seductively. Her numbers are sensational. On the other hand, Farah has a good style with the heroes—for instance, Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan—and knows how to make them look energetic and sexy.”
The one drawback with the series, however, is the time: the Bollywood Series is slotted for midnight on Channel 4, moans Munni.

Partaking of the Bollywood treat this summer will also be West End, courtesy of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Bombay Dreams, which will thrust A.R. Rahman’s music to the world platform. But is the UK ready for it? Yes, believe art experts. With the increasing popularity of Bollywood cinema with an international audience, the time is ripe for something like Bombay Dreams to hit the West End, they add.

Then there’s a play scripted by Mira Syal. With the politically incorrect name of Bombay Dreams, the story is about a Mumbai boy who dreams of becoming a Bollywood star. With her British Asian background, Syal is in a position to judge what the audience would relate to in a play seeped in Mumbai. Again, it is Munni who is following the movers and shakers around for the making of Bombay Dreams for Omnibus to be shown on BBC1. “If the project was on course four-five years back, I could not have been sure about its success. But today, with Meera’s writing, Farah’s dance numbers, A.R. Rahman’s music and Shekhar Kapoor’s direction, I am sure it will do very well.”

Also on course for a Bollywood summer is the British Film Institute which is going to showcase Indian films for its Indian Summer bonanza. Even Selfridges is doing a Bollywood month in May. Clearly, when it comes to ensured success, nothing quite matches the might and intensity of Bollywood. Not even the Indian heat.