Louvre Abu Dhabi has announced its upcoming exhibition, Bollywood Superstars: A Short Story of Indian Cinema, opening from 24 January and running until 4 June 2023.
The exhibition will showcase the depth and richness of the Indian sub-continent’s art and civilisation through its long tradition of image making, and the diversity of the Indian filmmaking industry.
Through more than 80 artworks including photographs, textiles, graphic arts, costumes and over 30 film extracts, the exhibition explores the rich history of the Indian cinema from its beginnings in the late 19th century up to the present.
The artworks come from the collections of Louvre Abu Dhabi, Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Musée de l’armée, Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet, al-Sabah Collection, Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation and Priya Paul Collection.
As the world’s leading film producer, India currently produces more than 1,500 films a year in about 20 languages, which are then exported throughout Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Through Bollywood Superstars, you'll discover how Indian pioneers utilised nascent image technologies such as lithograph and photography, kickstarting the journey from the birth of the first films to grand musical features.
You'll also gain a deeper understanding of the international success of Bollywood and an appreciation of the diversity of Indian cinematography. The varied displays span the history of Indian cinema from storytelling, dance, and pre-cinema to the influence of religion and mythology and the rise of Bollywood superstars.
Highlights from the exhibition
When visiting, you'll be immersed in artworks from Louvre Abu Dhabi’s collection such as:
A Page from a Harivamsa Series: Krishna and His Courtiers by the Sea at Pandaraka (ca. 1820, Kangra, India)
Mail and Plate Armour, Called “Four Mirrors” Armour (ca. 1600 – 1800, Mughal, India); Krishna Surrounded by Gopis (ca. 1655, Rajasthan, India)
A statuette of Krishna as a child playing the flute (second half of the 19th century, Rajasthan, India)
A Dagger (late 17th Century, Kuwait) from al-Sabah Collection; Indian Armour (18th Century) from Musée de l’armée
A Coat (19th century) from Musée national des arts asiatiques-Guimet.
If you are a cinema buff there'll be screenings of several iconic film extracts that have left an indelible mark on the history of Indian cinema.
Details of the rich cultural and educational programme accompanying Bollywood Superstars: A Short Story of Indian Cinema will be announced at a later date.
For more information about the exhibition and to book tickets, please visit louvreabudhabi.ae or call Louvre Abu Dhabi at +971 600 56 55 66.
Entrance to the exhibition is free with the museum’s general admission tickets.
Admission to the museum is free for children under the age of 18.