Bollywood Icons: 100 Years of Indian Cinema

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  Khiladi featuring Fearless Nadia, 1968, Homi Wadia,
  modern copy from original poster

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  *Umrao Jaan featuring Rekha, 1981, Muzaffar Ali,
  National Media Museum Collection

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  *Sholay featuring Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, 1975,
  Ramesh Sippy, National Media Museum Collection

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  *Mother India featuring Nargis, 1957, Mehboob Khan,
  National Media Museum Collection

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  Bambaiwali featuring Fearless Nadia, 1941, Homi Wadia,
  Irna Qureshi Collection

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  *Amar Akbar Anthony featuring Amitabh Bachchan
  and Rishi Kapoor, 1977, Manmohan Desai, National Media
  Museum Collection

Gallery Two: 8 March 2013 - 16 June 2013

2013 marks the centenary of Indian cinema, one of the most prolific film industries in the world. It was a hundred years ago that India screened its first ever film, Raja Harishchandra, in Mumbai (then Bombay). To commemorate the historic occasion, we are showcasing some of Bollywood’s best known actors and the industry’s most loved films with the exhibition Bollywood Icons: 100 Years of Indian Cinema.

Bollywood Icons looks at Indian cinema’s fascination with stars through a vibrant collection of classic and contemporary posters, many of them rare hand painted prints, with some dating back to the early 1940s. The posters say as much about the real lives of the stars they feature, as they do about the films they promote. Many of the posters feature popular romantic couples through the decades, some of whom fell in love in real life as well as on-screen. The exhibition also features footage of some of Bollywood’s most spectacular song and dance sequences.

2013 is the hundredth year of Indian cinema and there’s no better time to immerse yourself in the genre. Bollywood Icons will appeal to fans of popular Indian cinema of all generations and is also a great introduction for newcomers.

The National Media Museum’s celebrations are delivered with Bradford City of Film and other partners.

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* Every effort has been made to secure rights clearance.