I went to Birmingham Indian Film Festival and now I’m a Bollywood fan

I went along to the opening gala of the Birmingham Indian Film Festival, which is taking place as millions around the world celebrate Diwali. I saw the Midlands premiere of Berlin, a film that has been touted as one of the most cleverly constructed Indian films of 2023.

Directed by Atul Sabharwal, this gripping spy thriller stars Aparshakti Khurana as a young sign language teacher drawn into the shadowy world of espionage. He is coerced by undercover security forces to interrogate a young deaf man (Ishwak Singh).

Despite having always been a fan of spy thrillers, I’d never seen a Bollywood film before this so I was eager to see Berlin, and was not disappointed.

As Berlin began to unravel on the big screen, I was captivated by Ishwak Singh’s portrayal of a young deaf man, whose innocence is gradually stripped.

Although Bollywood films are stereotypically seen as being full of colour, Berlin had a more muted colour palette, with scenes often set in dimly lit rooms which often conveyed the narrative of the film.

It was nothing short of brilliant and had the audience on the edge of their seats. The festival has made me a fan of Bollywood and Indian cinema.

The Birmingham Indian Film Festival which takes places from October 26 to November 3, 2023, is Europe’s largest platform for Indian and South Asian cinema. With a diverse array of films on offer, spanning across genres such as thrillers, horror, romance, and LGBTQIA+ stories, it promises to be a cinematic feast.

Dharmesh Rajput Head of Birmingham Indian Film Festival said “Midland audiences will be amongst the first to see a variety of the very best in South Asian independent cinema from thrillers, horror, romance, films, panel discussions”.

It’s the last day of Birmingham Indian Film festival today. Here’s what’s on Friday, November 3

• HONOURING BIRMINGHAM’S BRITISH ASIAN XR STORYTELLERS at 17:30 | BCU STEAMHOUSE
• Closing Gala: KENNEDY + Q&A at 20:00 | CINEWORLD

BIFF runs from 26 October – 3 November 2023.  The full Festival programme, including dates and tickets can be found at www.birminghamindianfilmfestival.co.uk All screenings will be subtitled.