2nd edition of Indian Film Festival “Bollywood Bonanza” wraps up

The High Commission of India in Guyana, in association with the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, successfully hosted the second edition of the Indian Film Festival titled, “Bollywood Bonanza,” from December 2025 to March 2026.
The festival was conducted in partnership with Caribbean Cinemas at their locations in Giftland Mall and Amazonia Mall, as well as with West Central Mall Inc in Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

Over the course of the festival, nine highly acclaimed Indian films with English subtitles were screened. These included Jawan, Mimi, Goodbye, Sam Bahadur, Padmavat, Raksha Bandhan, War, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), and Chak De! India. The festival was inaugurated at Caribbean Cinemas, Giftland Mall by High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr Amit Telang accompanied by his spouse, Dr Deepali Telang. The event was attended by representatives of the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry, including Assistant Director of Tourism, Sunalie Ragubar and Tourism Development Officer, Jewel Fredericks. In his opening remarks, the High Commissioner highlighted the global appeal of Indian cinema and its significant role in promoting Indian culture, traditions and people-to-people connections—particularly in Guyana with which India shares deep historical and cultural ties.

Spanning four months, the festival was graced by the presence of several distinguished dignitaries, including Government officials. The festival concluded on March 22, 2026 with the screening of ‘Chak De! India,’ celebrating the shared passion for sports. The closing ceremony was attended by Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Pauline Sukhai along with members of the diplomatic corps, the Indian diaspora, and the wider community. Acting High Commissioner underlined the broader acceptability of Indian Cinema in Guyana and emphasised the deep-rooted cultural relations between the two countries. Sukhai highlighted the diversity and unity of Guyana’s multicultural society and thanked Government of India’s cultural partnership with Guyana. The concept of organising a spring film festival draws inspiration from the address of the Prime Minister (PM) of India, Shri Narendra Modi, at the 2nd India-CARICOM Summit held in Guyana in November 2024.
In his remarks, Modi emphasised the global popularity of Bollywood and encouraged the organisation of film festivals to further strengthen intercultural cooperation. The festival was made possible through the valuable support of the External Publicity Division of the Ministry of External Affairs and the National Film Development Corporation under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. “Bollywood Bonanza” received an enthusiastic response from Indian film enthusiasts across Guyana, including representatives of the Government of Guyana, members of the diplomatic corps, media professionals, the Indian diaspora and the student community. The festival underscored the important role of Indian cinema in bringing Indian and Guyanese communities closer together by celebrating the art of filmmaking, enhancing intercultural understanding and fostering stronger people-to-people ties between the two nations.