Kumar Shahani is one of the most important filmmakers working in India today and a key figure of the current Indian Avant-garde. He has developed a unique epic idiom that engages with the contemporary. Shahani’s films explore cultural memories embedded in classical Indian art forms, texts and objects. His visual explorations of Indian music and dance, the classical Indian epic and contemporary literature mark his practice as unique in the history of Indian cinema. Shahani also engages with European cinematic traditions. His first feature, Maya Darpan(1972), is regarded as India’s first formalist film. His oeuvre is often considered alongside a number of renowned directors — including Pier Paolo Pasolini, Stanley Kubrick and Jacques Rivette — whose work is similarly entwined with the visual arts.
Kumar Shahani has been awarded the Prince Claus Award (1998), the International Film Festival Rotterdam FIPRESCI Award (1990) and multiple Indian Filmfare Awards (1972, 1990, 1991). Screening details are available on the filmmakers page.
Australian Cinémathèque, GoMA
A full-colour publication is available from the Gallery Store.
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Street address
Stanley Place
South Bank
Brisbane
Australia
Postal address
PO Box 3686
South Brisbane
Queensland 4101
Australia
Telephone
+ 61 (0)7 3840 7303
Fax
+ 61 (0)7 3844 8865
Opening hours
Monday to Friday 10.00am - 5.00pm
Saturday and Sunday 9.00am - 5.00pm
ABN
66 758 806 810
