Bolly phenomenon at home in the city (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bradford and Bollywood make a perfect team

3:44pm Friday 26th June 2009 in Search

Thanks to Bradford’s large Asian population, the city and Bollywood are inextricably linked.

The South Asian film industry, centred on Bombay (now Mumbai), which gives it its nickname, is one of the largest in the world.

The two came together in typically spectacular, visual style when Bradford was chosen to host the 2007 International Indian Film Academy Awards – the Bollywood Oscars.

Yorkshire beat competition from around the world to host the awards ceremony, with events in Bradford, Sheffield and elsewhere.

With IIFA events being televised worldwide, the festival raised Bradford’s profile among an expected audience of 500 million.

The highlight was a show called Bollywood Steps, which was performed in front of City Hall with elaborate song and dance routines, a “wet sari scene” and a kaleidoscope of 140 costume changes.

Another example of how Bollywood and Bradford have grown up together is the recent Asian version of Emily Bronte’s impassioned novel about undying love, Wuthering Heights, by Deepak Verma and Tamasha (creator of East Is East).

For the Bollywood-style stage play, the action is transposed from Haworth Moor to the scorched desert landscape of Rajasthan, where Shakuntala, the beautiful and headstrong daughter of merchant Singh, falls in love with Krishan, a wild street urchin.

And this September, Bradford-based South Asian arts group Kala Sangam will host a major exhibition of Bollywood film stills, accompanied by displays of music, dance, clothes and jewellery.

Veteran Bollywood star Vyjayanthimala Bali has been invited to open it.

Schools from across the region will be invited to visit the exhibition, and the 12-strong Kala Sangam team hopes it will help widen the appeal of its venue, the top floor of St Peter’s House.

Since moving into the former Post Office in Forster Square a year ago, Kala Sangam has transformed the grand Grade II-listed building into a striking arts and community base.