Indian movies have become a significant part of the Australian cinema landscape, reflecting the growing interest in India’s rich cinematic history
Australian cinemas are increasingly showcasing Indian movies, with the action-thriller Tiger 3 set to open on over 160 screens, marking the largest debut for an Indian film in Australia this year, reported watoday.com.au.
While it falls short of the screen counts for major Hollywood releases, it is comparable to mid-market Hollywood and arthouse films. Indian movies have become a significant part of the Australian cinema landscape, reflecting the growing interest in India’s rich cinematic history.
In the documentary “Brand Bollywood Downunder,” filmmaker Anupam Sharma explores the connections between the Indian and Australian film industries. Sharma aims to provide audiences with insights into India’s cinema history, emphasizing that India has the world’s largest consuming and producing cinema population. Despite diverse regional film cultures, the term “Bollywood” is commonly used to refer to Indian films globally, a label some filmmakers find problematic.
India, with 28 states, 22 official languages, and numerous dialects, boasts various film industries such as Bollywood, Tollywood, Pollywood, Kollywood, and Gollywood. While many associate Indian cinema with colorful song-and-dance sequences and chaotic plots, India produces a wide range of films, including arthouse, thrillers, and action movies.
The increasing popularity of Indian films in Australia aligns with the growing Indian diaspora, constituting about 3.1% of the population. In 2023, Indian films contributed approximately 4.4% to the Australian box office, surpassing $33 million. Despite the vast number of Indian films released, only a fraction surpass the $100,000 mark, but a notable few achieve significant success.
Key contributors to the success of Indian films in Australia include Mitu Bhowmick Lange’s distribution company, Mind Blowing Films, which released 37 titles with a collective box office of $13.43 million. Lange, also the founder of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, believes the growth in audiences, including non-Indians watching films with English subtitles, indicates limitless potential.
The bilateral relationship between Indian and Australian cinema has historical roots, with Indian filmmakers coming to Australia since the 1980s. Conversely, Australians, such as Mary Evans, achieved stardom in Indian cinema. The collaboration extends to Australian technicians working in the Indian film industry.
While Australia has traditionally focused on tourism and education, the increasing interest in Indian cinema from non-Indian audiences suggests a changing landscape. The documentary “Salaam Namaste” in 2005, reputedly the first Bollywood film entirely made in Australia, emphasizes the global appeal of Indian cinema. As the exchange between the two industries grows, cinema emerges as a universal language fostering cultural connections between Australia and India.
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