The festival, which was attended by famous Bollywood personalities such as director Prakash Jha and actors Prem Chopra and Sharman Joshi, was a vibrant journey through the Bollywood culture. State Secretary in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Gry Larsen, officially opened the festival which took place from September 2 to September 9.
The program included world premiers on the movies Bodyguard and Mere Brother Ki Dulhan as well as screenings of 20 other films. The festival also arranged workshops, acting classes, concerts and dance shows, all with well renowned instructors and artists.
Director Prakash Jha shared his secrets for aspiring actors and directors in his master class seminar, and Indian hit maker from the 80’s and 90’s, Kumar Sanu, performed at the concert “A tribute to Kishore Kumar”.
Women’s rights were highlighted during the festival through a seminar on honor killings and extremism. The seminar began with the movie Khap, which deals with the issue, and was followed by a panel debate where the main themes from the movie were discussed.
The festival, which is the largest of its kind in Northern Europe, has for many years been an important arena for Indian culture in Norway. In addition, the festival contributes in strengthening the cultural ties between Norway and India and provides a meeting place for different cultures.
For more information about the festival please visit Bollywood Festival