One of Bollywood’s most iconic films will be screened outdoors in Leicester’s Jubilee Square, as part of the city’s annual ‘An Indian Summer’ festival.
‘An Indian Summer’, the festival which celebrates contemporary South Asian arts and culture, will run from July 21-23 this year, with a packed programme of free events and entertainment in store.
One of the festival’s highlights is an outdoor screening of Sholay -a film which has long been considered one of the best Indian films of all time.
Sholay topped the Indian box office for 19 years after its release in 1975. Inspired by the spaghetti western genre in mainstream cinema, the film follows two criminals, ‘Jai’ and ‘Veeru’ who are hired by a retired police officer to capture the ruthless dacoit ‘Gabbar Singh’.
The film stars many of Bollywood’s best-known names including actresses Hema Malini and Jaya Bachan (formerly Badhuri), who star as Basanti and Radha – a pair who become the love interests of the two hired convicts. Sanjeev Kumar, plays the ex-cop, Amitabh Bachan, one of the convicts and Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh who was commended for his performance as the ruthless villain.
The event takes place on July 21 from 6pm in Leicester’s Jubilee Square.
Attendance is free for those who do not wish to reserve a seat. Reserved seats will cost £7.21, including a booking fee.
“Join us for a night of fun, food, and film as we transform the square into an open-air cinema. Bring your blankets, chairs, and friends to enjoy this iconic movie in a unique setting,” said a spokesman for the event.
“We’ll have plenty of food and drinks available for purchase, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.”
Performing alongside the screening will be Nupar Arts Dance Academy – the Midlands largest South Asian dance academy, giving people “a real 4D experience.”
DJ Amrita will be DJing and getting people ready for the big cinematic experience.
Another highlight of this year’s Indian Summer Festival comes on July 23, when Nitin Sawhney performs at the Curve theatre from 6pm.
His powerful album ‘Immigrants’ delves deep into the ideas surrounding identity, life as a migrant and belonging.
Orton Square will also be filled with outdoor music, dance, workshops, culture art and food throughout the day.
Visit https://www.indiansummer.org.uk to find out more.
