LIFF presents Bollywood hit with dance performance at Cinema on the Square
Leeds International Film Festival (LIFF) presents the acclaimed Bollywood hit Lage Raho Munna Bhai as part of this year's Cinema on the Square. The outdoor cinema event takes place on Millennium Square from Thursday 31 July to Sunday 3 August, showcasing 18 screenings including family favourites, cult classics, and singalongs; all with concert-quality sound on the Summer Series outdoor stage.
Rarely seen on the big screen, Lage Raho Munna Bhai is from filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani. The award-winning comedy-drama stars Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi in a hilarious and heartfelt story with thought-provoking social commentary. The film follows a lovable gangster who begins seeing visions of Mahatma Gandhi, leading him to embrace non-violence in his quest to win back the woman he loves. Popularizing the term ‘Gandhigiri’ (practicing the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi) the film was the first Hindi movie screened at the United Nations and also featured at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
The screening is in partnership with Aman Dhillon, Founding Director of ReelN and a consultant for South Asian programming. “I am so excited that Leeds audiences will be treated to watch Lage Raho Munna Bhai on the big screen. This must watch film has all the ingredients of a great film, with a great script, brilliant execution and fantastic actors, it’s a film that feels like a warm hug!'”
Additionally, the screening will feature dance performances before the film from South Asian Arts-uk (SAA-uk), a pioneering Leeds based charity organisation, focused on celebrating and educating South Asian Classical dance and music, as well as pushing the boundaries of how traditional and contemporary South Asian performing arts are taught, performed and experienced by audiences.