Calcutta Pageant(1912)

India on Film: 1899 – 1947(en)

As part of the 2017 UK-India Year of Culture, the British Council and British Film Institute share a unique collection of films documenting the sights and culture of a bygone India. Filmed between 1899-1947, and preserved in the BFI National Archive since then, these rare films capture many glimpses of life in India, from dances and markets, to hunts and pageantry.

Ask the Sexpert(en)

A sex columnist gains popularity even while a ban on comprehensive sex education in schools is adopted by approximately a third of India’s states.

Under the Pillow(es)

Animated documentary which uses the voices and drawings of a group of children who live in a clinic in India. The guitar, the dances, a trip out to sea, the cats Sweety and Kitty, and the sisters who look after them are just some of the treasures and dreams which the children keep hidden under the pillow.

Benninger(en)

Six Years of Freedom(hi)

This documentary highlights the achievements of India in the political, economic, and international fields since she attained Independence. The framing of her Constitution, the integration of the States and the general elections, the rehabilitation of displaced persons, the river valley projects, and the setting up of a chain of National Laboratories are some of the achievements shown here.

A City at Chandigarh(fr)

Documentary on the construction of Chandigarh, the new capital of the Indian Punjab region, planned by Albert Mayer and Swiss architect Le Corbusier.

Indian Youth: An Exploration(en)

A documentary on the life of the youth in post-Independence India.

Nehru(en)

Divided into three parts — The Awakening, The Struggle, and Freedom — this is a biographical film on Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India. Relying on Nehru's writings and speeches, the film traces the evolution of Nehru from his birth through his life. It also deals with the effect of history on Nehru and in turn his impact on the world.

Edward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior and Delhi(en)

The future Edward VIII enjoys a stately procession and visits the Taj Mahal before meeting senior Indian royalty.

Edward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Bombay, Poona, Baroda, Jodhpur and Bikaner(en)

The future Edward VIII visits his Empire, with Indian royalty, elephants, palaces and temples.

Edward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Bikaner, Lucknow, Benares, Nepal and Great Tiger Shoot(en)

The future Edward VIII enjoys receptions, playing polo and hunting tigers on his royal tour.

Edward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Peshawar, The Khyber Pass and Rawl Pindi(en)

The future Edward VIII enjoys stunning mountain scenery on a visit to the Khyber Pass during his royal tour

Khyber Pass; Kashmir; Agra(en)

Romantic, atmospheric travelogue capturing some of northern India’s most iconic places – not least the Taj Mahal.

This Exists - A Film about Sri Prem Baba(pt)

The story of Sri Prem Baba, spiritual master and humanitarian leader with followers around the world, begins when a 14-year-old from Sao Paulo, Brazil, had a vision that said: 'go to Rishikeshi, India'. This story is delightfully told by himself leading us through the odyssey that would turn an ordinary boy into Prem Baba. Memories of friends, admirers and followers take us along the paths of the prosperous therapist who sank into a deep existential crisis and finally found India, where he would devote himself, after much debate, to his master and his destiny. A rich journey of enlightenment that brings us precious reflections on the meaning of life and the role of each one on this planet.

India's Wild Beauty(en)

India - unique in its diversity and breathtakingly beautiful. The subcontinent is characterized by scenic, cultural and ethnic diversity. After China, India is the second most populous country in the world. Despite growing space needs, there are efforts to preserve the wilderness through nature reserves and protected areas. So India still provides habitat for rare species such as the Bengal tiger or the Indian elephant. The 5-part series "India's wild beauty" leads to the most spectacular and beautiful regions and their inhabitants. The complete series in five parts: 1 The Thar Desert 2 In the jungle, the Ghats 3 Life on the holy river 4 The Himalayas 5 In the land of Naga

Indian Scene of Procession(en)

Stately scenes in India, likely filmed during the 1903 Delhi Durbar.

Life in Hunza(en)

Rural life in the mountainous valley near Gilgit - now in the Northern areas of Pakistan.

Wandering Tigers in North India(en)

Tigers in the Himalayan foothills, filmed by famous hunter and conservationist Jim Corbett.

Home Life(en)

Made by an English family living in north India during the heyday of the Raj, this amateur film reveals the grandeur in which middle-class English colonials lived.

Indian Life(en)

A motorist's excursion captures a world made by hand in the environs of Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi.