Starring:
Shashi Kapoor, Jennifer Kendal, Zia Mohyeddin, Aparna Sen, Utpal Dutt, Pincho Kapoor, Helen, Prayag Raaj

Merchant Ivory Productions Presents
Director: James Ivory
Screenplay: Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
Producer: Ismail Merchant
Photography: Subrata Mitra
Music: Shankar Jaikishan
Editor: David Gladwell

Bombay Talkie is Merchant Ivory’s affectionate, bemused view of Bollywood – India’s huge dream factory. The film is like a brightly coloured sumptuous Indian sweet covered in gold foil, and cameraman Subrata Mitra’s ravishing photography has never been surpassed in any other of James Ivory Films. The story, set off by elaborate studio numbers, is a melodrama echoing those of Bombay’s Mass-audience movies and the sexy best sellers of the film’s heroine, America authoress Lucia lane (Jennifer Kendal). Visiting India in search of “new material”, she becomes romantically involved with handsome movie star, Vikram (Shashi Kapoor, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid, Shakespeare Wallah, Heat and Dust). When that doesn’t work out, she flees to an ashram to take up the spiritual life. That also – hilariously – doesn’t work out, and the ill-fated couple get together again with explosive results.

Special Features :
Interview with Merchant Ivory Productions
Original theatrical trailer
Insight into Bombay talkie
Colour mode: Colour
Disc Format: DVD9
Picture format: 16:9
Audio content: Dolby Digital
Region code: PAL
Dual Layer format: transition between layers may trigger a slight pause.
Widescreen Version

Opening credits
The studio
Reading the play
I have an idea
Who’s this
Make time
What did she say?
Can I come in?
Are you happy?
Writing a letter
Any news?
It’s my birthday
The party
End credits