Synopsis India produces more films than any other country but its popular cinema has remained peripheral to western cinema buffs. This book is the first to provide a historical and cultural survey of Indian cinema--popular, artistic and regional--and to introduce readers to its distinctive forms. Intended for general readers as well as students of Indian cinema, the book reviews nine decades of Indian cinema and examines its influence on people in India and Asians in the diaspora. It explores the political, social, cultural and religious influences on Indian cinema, how it represents women, and the impact of women directors and British Asian film makers on recent Indian films.