Keyword Varanasi

Aparajito picks up where the first film leaves off, with Apu and his family having moved away from the country to live in the bustling holy city of Varanasi (then known as Benares). As Apu progresses from wide-eyed child to intellectually curious teenager, eventually studying in Kolkata, we witness his academic and moral education, as well as the growing complexity of his relationship with his mother. This tenderly expressive, often heart-wrenching film, which won three top prizes at the Venice Film Festival, including the Golden Lion, not only extends but also spiritually deepens the tale of Apu. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 1996.

The year is 1938, and Mahatma Gandhi's groundbreaking philosophies are sweeping across India, but 8-year-old Chuyia, newly widowed, must go to live with other outcast widows on an ashram. Her presence transforms the ashram as she befriends two of her compatriots.

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

Hindu temples at Benares and Belur and the mythologies associated with them.

Arresting early film images of both northern India and central and south western China.

At the peak of his career, billionaire Krishnakant Jhunjhunwala realizes the futility of his success at the cost of his health. Leaving his empire behind, he seeks solace in Varanasi, embarking on a spiritual journey that transcends life and death, searching for true meaning beyond material existence.

Max Plugin is a jaded but flamboyant relic of the 1960s. In his teens, Max ran away to California, where he met Teschlock, a charismatic ascetic and guru renowned among a small group of young followers. At that time, when Teschlock asked Max to join him and his disciples on an ashram in India, Max declined and returned home. Now, forty years later, at age 57, Max takes a journey to India to find Teschlock's grave-site, and also himself. His adventures in India, and his Castaneda-esque experiences back home, form the heart of this very unusual road movie.

The story is about life, love, and nirvana. Siddharth (42) is in the holy city of Banaras for the first time. One day at the ghat he sees and instantly gets hooked with the aura of Malvika (38). He is at a loss for words as this is the same girl whom he saw 17 years ago while crossing the road. Is destiny playing a game with him? Is it mere attraction? Graceful, Soulful, and Cheerful Malvika clear all his illusions as she believes in the flow of mystical energy. The undercurrents make them bond together to explore many hidden facets and at the same time, Malvika feels some interruptions. She is waiting eagerly for the sunset of 27th September. Will destiny would be kind enough to their coming together?

Journeying across Varanasi, Lucknow, and Muzzafarpur in India, this documentary film traces the lost traditions and the culture of tawaifs (courtesans of North India), particularly through a song sung by Rasoolan Bai, "Lagat karejwa ma chot, phool gendwa na maar" and its lesser known, earlier version "Lagat jobanwa ma chot, phool gendwa na maar" (recorded in a 1935 Gramophone recording). Weaving the past with the present, the film spans between personal stories as it interacts with historical events, ultimately leading to the decline of a great art form.

Set in Varanasi, an ancient city of India, Tana Bana offers a rare look at the hidden world of Moslem weavers and Hindu traders and how their lives are interwoven through the production of the silk and the beauty it creates. However, as the technology advances, the trade is threatened by computerization and globalization.

In the holy city of Varanasi, 16-year-old Ali has one of the most dangerous jobs in the world – catching poisonous snakes. The boy balances life and death on a daily basis to support his family.

Based on a popular Hindi novel, this is a comimg of age youth comedy set around the lives of engineering students in Varanasi.

Watch my first trip to India in this travel documentary, as I spent 6 weeks backpacking around the country. I spent 3 weeks backpacking through the cities of the north and then another 3 weeks in the beaches and backwaters of the south.