CREATIVE AND CULTURAL DIMENSIONS OF BOLLYWOOD
Opportunities and Challenges for Australian-Indian Collaborations
A Symposia and Film Festival
8-9th MAY 2015
MEET SUNJAY SUDHIR
Consul General of India in Sydney
Mr. Sudhir joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1993. he served as Joint Secretary and Head of the Office of External Affairs Minister. He has also served as Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of India to the World Trade Organisation, Geneva [2007-11], Head of the Economic and Commercial Wing at the Indian Embassy, Colombo [2004-07], Second Secretary [Political, Information and Culture] at the Indian Embassy, Damascus [1997-2000] and Third Secretary at the Indian Embassy, Cairo [1995-97]. Mr Sudhir holds the degree of Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi (1984-88). He pursued a course in Diplomatic Practice from Oxford University (2001-02) and Certificate Courses, conducted by WTO, in - TRIPS Agreement and Public Health; WTO Law and Jurisprudence; and WTO Dispute Settlement (during 2007-2010). See: http://www.indianconsulatesydney.org/consul-general-profile.htm
MEET SIMON WILMOT
Sr. Lecturer/Filmmaker
Simon teaches film production and is the Course Co-ordinator of the Masters of Digital Film. He also runs international study experiences for film students such as study tours to India and the USA and opportunities for students to make films in international contexts.
Simon is currently working on several projects. These include: 'Lamalama Short', a collection of short documentaries about an Australian indigenous community's use of material collected about them in the 1920s, to remember the past and imagine a future. The project is funded through an ARC Linkage Grant.
'Reawakenings', a documentary about the reclamation and revival of the South Western Victorian Aboriginal languages. Simon is currently interested in making films about processes of memory and imagination in the construction of identity and a sense of belonging. In 2012 he completed 'Sisters of the Sun' a film about the flows of time, language and culture on the volcanic plains of Western Victoria.
MEET RAJ SURI
Photographer/Media Producer
Raj Suri is a Sydney based professional photographer, media producer and talent spotter for over 14 years – photographing celebrities, people, fashion, models, bridal, fine art and real life in Australia and around the globe. He was also the judge of Australian TV series, aired nationally in Australia in June 2012. Whether he is shooting in Sydney, Mumbai, Dubai, South America, Fiji Islands or South Africa, Raj’s fashion work blends the power of simplicity and edgy in one. His documentary work shows a real, almost effortless sensitivity, yet moving imagery. Raj has worked on projects as diverse as international talent grooming, image building workshops, Bollywood talent mentoring, Bollywood film publicity and fashion productions from concept to print. A true creative visionary, Raj Suri founded the Miss India Australia (missindia.com.au) in 2001
SPEAKERS.
MEET NAVNEET ANAND
EDITOR - FIJI TIMES
Like any other youngster of his age, when Navneet Anand left his home country, India, in 1995 and landed is Australia, he had dreams in his eyes. Having completed graduation from Panjab University and technical studies from ISTC, Chandigarh, he has all the necessary paraphernalia to succeed. After days of initial struggle, today he is a name to reckon with, widely appreciated by his community members as well the Australian citizens. Navneet studied migration law in Australia and has been serving in the education sector ever since. Today, he is the director of GEMCO, Sydney, as well as director of Fiji Times, a monthly magazine in Sydney.Navneet has been an active community member and along with his business partner Ajay Trehan has supported many community events in Australia. Navneet is also a proud member of the ‘extended family’ of mega-star Amitabh Bachchan and has met him five times till date.
MEET PHILLIP MCINTYRE
Associate Professor
Phillip McIntyre is a Communication and Media scholar who researches how new things are created by human beings. He seeks to answer a basic research question: what is the most rational way to explain how novel things are bought into being? In addition to this basic research question, he also seeks to answer an applied question: How can these explanations help to increase human kind’s ability to generate new and useful things? Dr McIntyre’s most recent book ‘Creativity and Cultural Production: Issues for Media Practice’ was published by Palgrave MacMillan in 2012 and he is a current recipient of an ARC Linkage Grant entitled ‘Creativity and Cultural Production: An Applied Ethnographic Study of New Entrepreneurial Systems in the Creative Industries.’ He is the Head of Discipline for Communication and Media in the School of Design, Communication and Information Technology at the University of Newcastle.
MEET ANNE LLEWELLYN
Head of School - DCIT
University of Newcastle
Anne Llewellyn exhibits her work both in Australia and internationally and is interested in the use of illustration in communicating environmental information. Anne's research in the development of fieldwork methods has taken her to a range of habitats throughout Australia and the United States. The traditional and historical underpinning of natural history illustration and how it is applied in a contemporary framework is a main focus of her research, teaching and professional practice. Anne is particularly drawn to the arid regions of Australia and has conducted fieldwork along the Canning Stock Route, Larapinta Trail in Kakadu, Uluru and the Kimberley regions.
MEET AMAN RANIGA
Aman Raniga was born in Fiji in a Gujrati family. He completed his primary and secondary schooling in his hometown Nadi. As his interest in music recordings, film shoots and production grew in high school he started working at a local music and video shop. This gave him the first-hand experience in Film Distribution and Cinema Operations. Aman completed his studies at Sydney Institute of Technology. He has worked at Westpac Bank and ANZ Bank as a Service Officer in International Division and Assistant Relationship Manager at Institutional Banking Division respectively. Since April 2005, Aman is Director of Bollywood distribution company Eros Australia.
MEET ABBAS ZAHEER
A Sydney based media professional. Abbas graduated from University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) with a Masters of Arts in Journalism. He also holds a Graduate Diploma in Media Arts and Production. His breadth of experience spans from television news with Indian news channels to roles in Sydney based sports channel Sky Racing. He is also interested in producing documentaries. His current research interests include new media activism, video convergence and Internet video, Future of digital media in Australia. Abbas has taught media production and digital communication courses at School of Design, Communication and IT, University of Newcastle.
MEET REKHA RAJVANSHI
Rekha Rajvanshi is a DEC schoolteacher and Hindi Tutor at the Centre of Continuing Education at the University of Sydney. She has a Masters in Psychology and Education and a Postgraduate Diploma in Special Education from Macquarie University. Rekha has also completed a short course in TV Journalism from the ‘Asian Academy of Film and TV’, Film City, Noida. Rekha is a writer and poet whose work was first published in 1980, when she wrote for Delhi Press magazines and national level newspapers in India. She has authored five books and contributed to many poetry books worldwide. She was invited by the Sahitya Akademi, India (The National Academy of Letters) to represent Australia in a poetry festival, ‘Waves 2014’. Rekha is also an approved All India Radio Delhi drama artist, and has scripted and voiced over for various programs in India. In Australia, she contributed segments for The Indian Link Radio and SBS Hindi Radio.
MEET MANJU MITTAL
Manju MIttal is a Sydney based passionate community reporter associated with The Indian Down Under newspaper in Sydney and contributing articles on Bollywood events, community events, beauty & health and special interviews with various celebrities.She specialises in covering International Film Festivals at Cannes, Tokyo, Goa (India) and Melbourne. She has earned a Master's degree in Economics..She is an avid admirer and public speaker of Hindi & Urdu poetry. She is also a poet and a short story writer, hosting and anchoring various events in Sydney. She has also covered the film festivals for the SBS Hindi Radio.
MEET SAVITRI NAIDOO
Savitri Naidoo is Founder and Artistic Director of Vadhini Indian Arts Academy, Cape Town (for 32 years) and Founder and Artistic Director of CHAKRAS Performing Arts Australia. Savitri hails from Cape Town, a choreographer and inspiring teacher. Her formal dance training started in Ballet, Modern, Tap and Spanish until exposed to Bharatanatyam. Having found her true Artistic passion she departed to India after her HSC to study the art form in traditional Guru Sheyshya manner under the legendary Shrimati Indira Rajan who provided opportunity for her to work under Vijanti Mala, Alumel Valli and expose her to the country’s leading dancers. She and her students have performed in India, Poland, Mauritius, Italy, America and nationally in South Africa. Savitri also choreographed for State functions, Conventions the highlight being for Dr Nelson Mandela and the Dalia Lama. In 2010 after relocating to Australia she founded the CHAKRAS Performing Arts in Newcastle.
MEET SHVEATA CHANDEL SINGH
Shveata Chandel Singh is a Sydney based passionate journalist. She is presently Editor of Public Telegraph, an online news magazine. She has worked as Senior Correspondent with The Indian Sun and Indian Executive magazines. She has worked for English newspapers published in North India, like Kashmir Times and Daily Excelsior, and Hindustan Times, specializing in politics, crime and entertainment. She was also the online editor of a monthly magazine—Mirror and Reflection—published from Jammu for about two years. She also took up anchoring for the local television channels and worked as a stringer for programmes being broadcast on radio. Shveata also launched her own magazine—Jammu Chronicle—which is available online.
MEET PARICHAY PATRA
Mr Patra is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Film and Television Studies, Monash University, Melbourne. Patra studied English literature and Film Studies at Jadavpur University, Kolkata. He has published in reputed film journals like the Journal of the Moving Image and in a number of edited volumes. Patra has presented papers in various conferences / seminars / symposia in India, Taiwan and Australia. His area of interest is the history of the Indian New Wave cinema of the 1970s. His article on Ritwik Ghatak’s Subarnarekha (1962) is about to be published by Orient Blackswan in a collection of essays.
MEET AISHVERYAA NIDHI
Aishveryaa Nidhi is an Indian-Australian actress and artistic director of Abhinay School of performing Arts Inc. She is the first and the only Indian-Australian actor to be nominated for best Actress award (also, a Silver artist) for ‘Short and Sweet’ festival. She was invited by Opera Australia to be a coach for LAKME. Sydney Theatre Company invited her to work in ‘Leviathan’ and ‘The Other way.’ The Associate Producer of Hollywood drama-mystery ‘Beyond Life’ (2006), Aishveryaa has produced and directed the Aussie-Bollywood flick ‘Flight to Bollywood.’ Popular for her solo play ‘Gandhari,’ she has acted in more than 25 theatre productions and 10 films. She is the winner of St George ‘Volunteer of the year award’ for her contribution in art & culture. She has received numerous community awards for her contribution to art & culture.
MEET AISHWARYA SINGH
Aishwarya Singh is a die-hard fan of Indian Cinema and passionate about Bollywood cinema She has been a pioneer in bringing Bollywood cinema to Newcastle. Aishwarya made Newcastle home in 1998 and back then it was very difficult to watch Bollywood cinema. In those days if one wanted to watch a Hindi movie one had to get a DVD from Sydney with the quality of print mostly likely very poor. Aishwarya then got in touch with Margaret and Theo, of iconic Showcase Cinema in downtown Newcastle and organised the first ever screening of a Bollywood film in a cinema hall. The movie was Salaam Namastey, a Bollywood blockbuster and was well received. The successful screening of this movie was encouraging and The screening of Bollywood cinema at Showcase cinema became a regular event. However Showcase cinema closed down in 2008 and the Bollywood movie screenings became very infrequent due to lack of affordable venue. In recent years Aishwarya had organised screening of few Indian movies at Event cinemas but the regular events are yet to occur. Aishwarya is making efforts in this direction and is hopeful that regular screenings of Bollywood block busters would soon commence.
MEET ANU CHHABRA
A university topper and a gold medalist from DAVV Indore , Anu has won several prestigious State and National level Debate competitions. Anu has also worked for the Yuvvani segment of Aakashwani Indore during early days of her career and has been first a Secretary and then Vice President of the Student Council in her university. At present Anu works as a Teacher for Technology and Applied studies in a reputed Selective high School in Sydney NSW . She is also employed to teach Hindi in the Saturday school of community languages being run by the Department of Education NSW since 2009. Anu is an active member on the panel of Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) for designing national curriculum for Hindi. Anu has attended and orated at several poetry recital events and was felicitated with the best poetry award at the international language conference in Tashkent in 2014.
MEET VIKAS PAUL
Vikas Paul is a Sydney based Film Distributor and an event organiser. Vikas has brought many Bollywood and Punjabi films to Australia through his company Friends India Entertainment. Vikas endeavours to bring cinema that is not only appealing to the Indian diaspora but can attract a wide range of Australiam community members. Vikas is also the distributor of the forthcoming film "Unindian", starring Brett Lee and Tannsitha Chatterjee, directed by Anupam Sharma.
MEET ALEX SINGH
Alex Singh (Guralambir Singh) is a Film Maker, Theatre Director, Writer, Actor and Community Worker. Alex himself has come up the hard way having lived in poverty and then facing racial discrimination and exploitation overseas. Since then he used his experience and started identifying the needs of Indian community and communicate it through his films and stage Productions. His company, Hundal Films also distributes Punjabi and Bollywood films in Australia. His movie, Maa (The Mother) is first ever Punjabi movie to be screened by ACMI (Australian Centre for Moving Images). Alex used the box office money for to fund poor and needy women. The movie has been selected for official screening at MIPPF awards in Vancouver. Alex is on the board of directors of an organisation called ACHRH (Australasian Centre for Human Rights and Health) and official member of ADG (Australian Directors Guild); MEEA (Media and Arts Alliance of Australia); and AFI (Australian Film Institute).
MEET SUSAN KERRIGAN
Dr Susan Kerrigan is a Screen Production Scholar who specialises in creative screen practice through practice-led research. Susan is a current recipient of an ARC Linkage Grant entitled 'Creativity and Cultural Production: An Applied Ethnographic Study of New Entrepreneurial Systems in the Creative Industries'. She is a member of the Communication and Media Research (CAMR) group and is a member of the Hunter Centre for Creative Industries and Technology (HCIT). During 2012/2013 Susan was President of the Australian Screen Production, Education and Research Association (ASPERA) and in 2014 Susan convened the annual ASPERA Conference 'Screen Explosion'. Susan has examined PhDs and Masters (by reserach) for Screen Production, Screen writing and Television practices.
MEET AMIT SARWAL
Amit Sarwal is an Honorary Associate Professor of RMIT University and also the Founding Convenor of Australia-India Interdisciplinary Research Network. He was an Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2013-15) at Deakin University and Endeavour Asia Research Fellow (2006-07) at Monash University. He has also taught as Assistant Professor in the Department of English at University of Delhi (2007-12). His research papers have appeared in prominent journals such as Dance Chronicle, Dance Research, Antipodes, South Asian Popular Culture, South Asian Diaspora and Culture, Society and Masculinities. He has co-convened two film festivals and conferences in Perth and Newcastle and has also appeared as an expert on ABC radio National, SBS Hindi Radio, Sky, and Australia Network. He has many books to his credit, prominent being: Wanderings in India: Australian Perceptions (2012), Bollywood and Its Other(s): Towards New Configurations (2015), and Labels and Locations: Gender, Family, Class and Caste (2015).
MEET VIKRANT KISHORE
Dr Kishore is a filmmaker, academician, journalist and a photographer. Dr Kishore is a Lecturer in Media & Communication at the University of Newcastle. Dr Kishore started his career as a journalist with ZEE News and he still continues his journalistic work as a blogger. Dr Kishore has 25 documentaries and corporate films to his credit; he has worked in more than 10 documentaries as a “one man crew” and loves directing, editing and camerawork. He has been a jury member of various film festivals. Dr Kishore’s areas of research are Indian Cinema, Indian folk and popular culture, reality television programmes and the issues of caste politics in India. Dr Kishore’s co-edited book titled “Bollywood and Its Other(s): Towards New Configurations” has been published by Palgrave MacMillan. His authored book “From Real to Reel: Folk Dances of India in Bollywood Cinema” published by UNESCO-APNIEVE has been released recently. See www.vikrantkishore.com
MEET HIMANSHU GOEL
A doctor by profession - a genetic specialist at the Hunter New England Local Health District, Hinmanshu Goel is a keen follower of Indian and world cinema. Himanshu states, “I am so glad that Indian cinema is progressing in right direction. I like good work by this new crop of film makers. The notable few are Rajat Kapoor, Nawazzudin Siddiqi, Anurag Kashyap, Farhan Akhtar, Imtiyaz Ali, Anurag Basu, Abhay Deol, Sherman Joshi and Mahie Gill.” Himanshu has been active in promoting Bollywood cinema and events among the Indian community in the Hunter region.
MEET DEEPAK SHAH
Deepak Shah completed his bachelors and Masters degrees in Microbiology from Gujarat University before completing his PhD while working as a Research Scientist for a pharmaceutical company in Vadodara, India. After working for nearly 20 years in India he migrated to Australia where in a career spanning 20 years, he has worked in university and healthcare industries. For last decade he is working as a QA Manager for medical device manufacturing unit of a charitable organization called House With No Steps, that supports and employs people with disability. Living in Newcastle for last 15 years, Deepak has done voluntary work for Indian community based organizations including organizing events like Hunter Indian Idol, Indian Super Chef and musical concerts. A self-confessed Bollywood tragic, Deepak is also addicted to sports, mainly cricket and books. His association with Bollywood is his role as an ardent and loyal consumer for over fifty years!
MEET ANURAG KAUL
With a Masters in Film & TV Production from the University of Technology, Sydney and a Graduate in Engineering from Panjab University, India. Anurag Kaul commenced his career in Film & TV by working with ANI and Doordarshan in India in 2006. He has directed several short Drama and documentary series with Doordarshan and Films Division Mumbai in India.
Anurag started working with UTS as an Audio Visual Assistant while doing his Masters. He has assisted noted Bollywood Film Producers & Directors and local film producers here in Sydney before working with the Fiji National University as a Consultant and Lecturer in Suva which included setting up and developing the Film and Media faculty. He has also worked as a Directors Assistant with some popular TV productions in India.
Currently Anurag works as a Freelance media professional in Sydney with his varied portfolio in covering cultural and social events and commercial production assignments.
MEET PROMILA GUPTA
Promila has been a chef, a teacher, a business woman, an author and a community leader. Her passion for cooking has won a large number of admirers and friends. Promila is the author of two books on ‘cookery “Selected Dishes from India' and 'Vegetarian Finger Foods'. She was the convener of International Women Association in Whyalla. Promila made a multicultural short film titled ‘Five Spices’ which was screened at Parks Community Center, Angle Park. This film is about 5 ladies from different ethnic backgrounds and learning to live together in harmony and joy. She was appointed President of Indian Australian Association of South Australia from 2007 - 2009. Promila has made programmes for Radio and she contributes regularly for SBS Hindi Radio. Promila as a community leader has always promoted Bollywood films and Bollywood related events.
MEET RAGINI SHONAK
Ragini Shonak came to Australia in 2011. She came up with an idea to introduce Bollywood Art as a platform for Australian - Indian cultural fusion. She started a small business “Country Art”. Down the track, she realized that Australians are eager to come closer and enjoy the Bollywood way. People with Indian background enjoy Bollywood parties and movies where they can come together and enjoy what they used to in India. So, she started holding Bollywood events where all are welcome to enjoy the day in a Bolly way.
MEET SWECHHA KULSHRESTHA
Swechha has worked for the All India Radio, spoke on a public forum, anchored for 5 EBI FM for the Indian community radio in Adelaide. Swechha has actively been involved with the Indian Australian Idol, Indian Australian Dancing Star, Hindi Kavi Sammelan. Currently, she works at GE Capital and as a Sub Editor of Hindi Gaurav News Paper. Further, she also has authored a wide variety of articles, poems and plays in Hindi, directed and won competitions. As an event organiser, Swechha has organised the Kite Festival 2015, Holi 2015, co-organised a beauty pageant. In the end she is a proud member of the Australian Indian community who has strong social, literary, cultural, creative and community interests, someone who carries out her community welfare activities responsibly. The above activities give her contentment as it brings people together and improves their personality.
MEET JAZ SHABIR
A lending Manager for Suncorp Bank. I am also a choreographer, and a model.I lived in NZ for 12 years before coming to Australia in 2005. My achivement: I started career in modelling in 1996 after doing a diploma course in Fashion and modelling. i have done many Fashion Shows in NZ. From 1996 to 2000 and had great achievements on way, after starring in few different modelling shows. I took my final challenge to train 20 girls and took them to stage at ASB Stadium in NZ, where they competed for Miss INDIANZ 2000. After this I worked with Auckland City Council organisng Diwali functions.I had alot of involovement in Indian community in New Zealand. I moved to Australia in 2005.While in Sydeny I have committed myslef more in doing Charity work. Since 2010 I have worked with New South Wales Cancer Council.This is now a annual show.My last charity show was at Macquarie Function Centre in Liverpool, where the Mayor was the chief guest. have a group of great people helping me with my Mystical Culture and fashion show. I have a passion and provide confidence to young talents.
MEET
MADHVI MOHINDRA
Dr Madhvi Mohindra has masters degree in Hindi , Performing Arts and PhD in performing Arts (Indian Classical Dance & Music) from India. She started her career as a Lecturer in India. She was radio announcer and Drama Artist in India, Fiji Islands and Australia. She has anchored many International Stage and TV shows for Zee Television. Dr. Madhvi Mohindra is an ace choreographer. She was Creative Director and Executive Producer for a leading Production houses like Maltee films and Anushka Images in India. She worked for Television broadcasting company as a Hindi Programming executive in Fiji Islands. Currently she is running her own Academy of performing Arts in Sydney ‘The Elegant Creations’ where students can learn Classical and Bollywood Dance, Vocal and , Instrumental Music and Hindi. Dr Mohindra also looks after Sales, marketing & Advertising for colors television in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. Dr. Mohindra was the only business woman from Australia who was chosen by BBC World news recently to be the part of their series GLOBAL INDIANS. Dr Mohindra currently engaged in the Production of a television series for Colors Television channel based on Indian Diaspora
MEET ROUSHIKA REIKHI
Roushika is a multi talented Indian actress, model, TV - VJ, Radio - RJ and Live show presenter. She was born and brought up in Chandigarh. Her journey to stardom started when she was crowned Miss Chandigarh at a tender age. After that she started her modelling career which brought her to Mumbai after being selected to participate in Femina Miss India contest. Whilst she came to Mumbai for a short stay, she got break in big brand commercial video advertisements with Bollywood superstars Shahrukh Khan (Videocon) and Hrithik Roshan (Hero Honda). She also got a big break to star in a super hit Bollywood movie "Joru ka Ghulam" co-starring with Govinda, Johny Lever, Kader Khan and Twinkle Khanna. She acted in other Hindi movies such as "Bluffer" (by Harry Baweja), "Hands Up" (by S. Bokadia), "Jeena to Hai", "Mast Mast", "Dekh Bhai Dekh" and recently released "Neighbours" (by Shyam Ramsay). She has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, as well as two French movies. In these movies she acted with some of the famous stars such as Nagarjuna, Vikrant, and Vishnuvardhan. She is well known for being in many super hit music videos. She was also crowned Miss Mumbai, Miss International (in UK), and Miss Air Force Queen. Whilst she has continued as an Actress and Model, she became famous as MTV VJ and Zoom TV anchor. She also hosted few shows on Zee TV and B4U Music.