Wednesday, July 17
7PM
Film Series: Paheli (2005)
Dir.: Amol Palekar, 140 min.
Paheli is based on the short story written by Vijayadan Detha in Rajasthani language and tells the story of a wife (Rani Mukerji) who is left by her husband (Shah Rukh Khan) and visited by a ghost, disguised as her husband, who is in love with her and takes her husband’s place. In Hindi with English subtitles.

“Ravi K Chandran’s cinematography is spellbinding as he casts us into the fabulous sandscapes of Rajasthan with fluid harmony.”
-critic Taran Adarsh

Part of our summer film series: Stepwells on the Silver Screen
Located in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan, a stepwell known as Chand Baori—with 3,500 steps zigzagging down 13 stories—is perhaps the most recognizable of all stepwells. Now maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, the thousand-year-old site has been featured in several major motion pictures, including Tarsem Singh’s 2006 adventure fantasy The Fall and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Director Amol Palekar’s Bollywood romance Paheli (2005) includes stunning scenes filmed inside the stepwell Hadi Rani Ki Baori, built in the 12th century and also located in Rajasthan.

Co-sponsored by Asia Society Southern California.

Related Exhibition: India’s Subterranean Stepwells: Photographs by Victoria Lautman.
Since the 5th century, stepwells have served as water-harvesting systems that descend into the earth and enable communities to access the water table or rainwater gathered below. A selection of 48 photographs by journalist Victoria Lautman captures the diversity and sublime beauty of these architectural marvels.

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Parking available in UCLA Lot 4, 398 Westwood Plaza, directly off Sunset Blvd | $13/day. Rideshare drop-off 305 Royce Drive.