Indian movies a growing market in New Zealand

Almost 300 Indian movies were screened in cinemas throughout New Zealand in the last two years.

It is a sign of a thriving market that is not just due to the Indian population now being the third largest ethnic group in New Zealand.

Increasingly, Indian films - commonly referred to as Bollywood movies - are winning Oscars and captivating a diverse New Zealand audience.

And it is not just Aotearoa. Over in Australia, the film Pushpa 2: The Rule just smashed the record for highest-ever opening day for an Indian film in Australian cinema history.

Pritesh Raniga is the owner of Indian distribution company Forum Films and had been bringing Indian films to Kiwi audiences since 2008.

The company has distributed 124 titles to New Zealand cinemas over the past two years alone. Its distribution network extends to Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, mostly focused on Bollywood and Punjabi films.

"Now it is necessary for exhibitors to have Bollywood. They really, really know the power of Indian cinema," Raniga told RNZ's Culture 101.

Raniga's father owned a cinema in Fiji and distributed films there. When he moved to New Zealand, he saw a market for distributing Indian cinema throughout the country.

"I was practically born and brought up in cinema."

He said that Indians in New Zealand or New Zealanders with Indian heritage saw films as a way "to connect to their mother country".

Some of the titles Forum Films brought to New Zealand this year included Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, a horror film, and the heartfelt drama I Want to Talk.

And increasingly, audiences with no connection to India were enjoying films beyond just mainstream, Oscar-winning titles like Slumdog Millionaire.

"Movies that have a family feel and have a lot of emotions to it, we see people really are able to enjoy them as well."

For those looking to dip their toes in the water of Indian cinema, Raniga suggested Baahubali for fans of Game of Thrones.

The Oscar winner RRR and Laapataa Ladies were two other Indian films that Raniga recommended.

"It's very unique and very different," he said of Laapataa Ladies, a comedy drama.

Forum Films would release four new films in early January including Game Changer, a political action thriller partly filmed in New Zealand.

"It will be quite unique to see our own backyard in cinemas so I am looking forward to that."

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