Your Heritage
Date awarded
Location
Heston Central
Applicant
South Asian Cinema Foundation
Award Given
£32400
This project celebrated the work of a forgotten legend of Indian cinema, Niranjan Pal (1889-1959).
Previously ignored both in India and the West, Pal was the prime mover in the making of classic silent films like Light of Asia, Shiraz and A Throw of Dice.
The project showcased the work of this pioneering Indian scenarist, screenwriter and film-maker, through a series of screenings of his films, a display of rare photographs, presentation of a documentary and publication of a book.
Pal worked within the early British film industry before returning to India to write screenplays for Bombay Talkies, a founding force in Indian cinema.