Brand Bollywood Downunder

“It was in the late 1990’s that the outrageous, colourful, and musical Bollywood crews first descended on the Australian landscape and fascinated locals around the country. More than just novel new entertainment, Bollywood brought serious money to Australian shores, and the industry quickly became a darling of the tourism, trade, and educational bodies. Beneath the glitz and glamour is a roller coaster tale of normally dry politicians bending over backwards to try and lure the industry to Australia – from announcing considerable film subsidies to Premiers performing cameos in dance sequences. Brought to you by a cross-cultural film team widely credited as a major influence on the growth of ties between the Australian and Indian film industries, this feature-length documentary provides a rare insiders view of the brass, arse, and farce of Bollywood’s inner workings on a global scale.

The film is a celebration of Bollywood cinema and its expansion as a global entertainment giant. In a sometimes hilarious clash of filmmaking cultures, we explore the successes and failures of Bollywood’s rise as a serious subculture in Australia, and around the world. See past the myths and legends that surround the industry and witness the Bollywood reality – something far more entertaining than any fictional tale.

Spanning from 1897 to 2023 this feature documentary is an informative, funny, musical, and entertaining look at Bollywoodisation and globalisation of popular Hindi Cinema through its love affair with Australia and the world. Featuring interviews with icons of Hindi cinema along with rare behind the scenes of bollywood stars filming at picturesque locations in Australia and the west, Brand Bollywood pays homage to the popular film industry and subculture of Bollywood in form and in content.”