BOMgAY
★ 4 · 1996 · 12m · Documentary
Based on the poetry of R. Raj Rao, Bomgay is a collection of six vignettes that depict the underground and complex nature of the gay identity in urban India. Part Genet, part Bollywood, this film combines acidic verse and insightful imagery to reveal the emerging gay community in the post-liberalized India of the 1990s.
More Like This
To Be Continued
2007 · ★ 6.5
An ascetic walks through the narrow streets of a village every morning while his family is still asleep. In his semi-somnolent state he dreams about the history of the village mixing up myths, folklore and facts.
More info →
In the Name of God
1992 · ★ 8.7
The film explores the campaign waged by the Hindu right-wing organisation Vishva Hindu Parishad to build a Ram temple at the site of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, as well as the communal violence that it triggered. A couple of months after Ram ke Naam was released, VHP activists demolished the Babri Masjid in 1992, provoking further violence.
More info →
The Karma Killings
2016 · ★ 6.9
"The Karma Killings," is a modern-day crime thriller mixed in with Indian mythology and class warfare. The documentary delves into India's most infamous serial killings and its impact on a nation. Told through the people directly involved, the film unravels the complexities of the case and goes beyond the sensational headlines to present a suspenseful and scary mystery. And has a huge twist - one of the killers maybe innocent?
More info →
Dastaan-E-Rafi
2016
The biography of one of the greatest playback singers of Hindi cinema, Mohammed Rafi is a trip down memory lane. Fans of Rafi will love Dastaan E Rafi, a biography of celebrated singer Mohammed Rafi that showcases the celebrated singer’s extraordinary journey. The award-winning film by Shemaroo traces his life from his birth in Amritsar, to his struggle in Bombay before he got his break and his rise to stardom.
More info →
Kamlabai
1992 · ★ 9
Conversations with 92 year old Kamlabai Gokhale, a pioneering actress of the Marathi stage and the first lady of Indian film. The documentary gives an impression of the history and growth of Indian film and theatre as it was experienced by a woman who struggled against the social structures of her times.
More info →
Jai Bhim Comrade
2012 · ★ 7.4
Dalits, in the Indian caste system, belong to the lowest social sphere and are therefore subject to regular discrimination and violation of their basic human rights. Also referred as “untouchables,” this group was vindicated by B. R. Ambedkar, a Dalit who earned doctorate degrees abroad and fought for the emancipation of his people. In 1997 a statue honoring him was desecrated, unleashing the rage of the Dalit community, but instead of getting support by the authorities, ten persons were murdered. This documentary took 14 years to be made and it captures the music and poetry of this people, showing a tradition against superstition and religious bigotry that has strived since the times of Buddha.
More info →
Mati Manas
1985 · ★ 6
In a poetic hour and a half, director Mani Kaul looks at the ancient art of making pottery from a wide variety of perspectives.
More info →
CycleMahesh
2024
When a lockdown is announced in India, 22-year-old Mahesh finds himself stranded and decides to travel home on a rickety bicycle. He covers about 2,000 kilometers in seven days. It turns him into a national media hype.
More info →
Forms and Designs
1968 · ★ 5.3
A short film that sets up an opposition between functional forms of industrial age and decorative ones from Indian tradition.
More info →
Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairy Tale
2024 · ★ 4.6
Celebrated actor Nayanthara looks back on her journey towards love and superstardom amidst personal struggles and triumphs in this intimate documentary.
More info →
Sarabhai vs Sarabhai Take 2: The Making
2017
Takes the audience behind the artistry, intellectual spirits, and production of the second season of the holy grail of Indian sitcom.
More info →
The Life of the Adivasis
1955
A documentary made by Ghatak for the Government of Bihar observing the life of the Adivasis.
More info →