New Indian Cinema - a film genre with a strong identity

New independent Indian cinema has emerged as a distinctive genre with its own identity in a film landscape dominated by mainstream Bollywood. Based on his recent publication - "Indian Indies: A Guide to New Independent Indian Cinema" (2022), Dr. Devasundaram traces key milestones in a decade of development of this dynamic independent film sector. He draws attention to boundary-pushing, resolutely questioning and radically awakening Indian indie films that tackle LGBTQ+ issues, women's empowerment, caste discrimination, populist politics and religious violence.

Dr. Ashvin Immanuel Devasundaram is Senior Lecturer in World Cinema at Queen Mary University of London. He is the author of the world's first book on Indian independent cinema - "India's New Independent Cinema: Rise of the Hybrid". He is Associate Director of the prestigious UK Asian Film Festival - London.