A still from ‘Mr and Mrs Iyer’, an independent Indian film by Aparna Sen

Bollywood, the nickname for films made in Bombay’s factory-like studios, is now known around the world. The big musical pieces, beautiful stars, grand settings and unashamed escapism are its trade marks and they’ve come to dominate the image of Indian cinema in the West. Radio 4’s two part series Films for a New India offers an alternative, exploring instead India’s independent film industry. It’s a great introduction to all sorts of themes; the world-wide Indian diaspora and its impact on culture in India, the Hindu/Muslim religious divide as the last great film taboo, Westernisation v Indian pluralism and the cultural dynamics of the Indian middle class.

Listen to the first part of the series here.

If you want to know more about Indian Cinema (and films about India) this is a good overview of some of the key ones.