27th July 2011

Bollywood glitz sparkles in Soweto

Orlando resident Nteboheng Monamoli, 24, was pleasantly surprised when he arrived at Maponya Mall to a colourful showcase of Indian dance.

This is where the stage was set for “Bollywood Comes to Soweto”, an exhibition that is part of the ongoing Festival of India in South Africa. The exhibition showcases Indian films through posters that trace the history of Hindi cinema – from the silent era nearly a century ago to the tech-savvy and special-effects-laden films of the past few years.

Lifesize cardboard cut-outs of Bollywood stars helped Mampitla Mofokeng, 34, of Pimville recognise some of the faces she’s seen on TV. “A lot of them are familiar, I love watching Indian films, I am a big fan of Amitabh Bachchan.

“This is very interesting, it’s unusual for us because we only ever see this on TV,” she said.

There was also a screening of a selection of popular clips from Hindi movies as well as mannequins dressed in film costumes.