Students travel to Bollywood, study with Indian filmmakers
May 4, 2012
By Wendy S. Loughlin • (315) 443-2785
Nine students from the Newhouse School will soon embark on a 15-hour flight to Mumbai, India, as part of the SU Abroad course “Bollywood Snapshots: SU Internships in Mumbai.” This is the fourth time the course has been offered.
Under the direction of Tula Goenka, associate professor of television-radio-film in the Newhouse School, the four-week internship course allows students to work directly with Indian filmmakers and production companies.
The course is based at leading Bollywood director Subhash Ghai’s Whistling Woods International (WWI) Institute for Film, Television and Media Arts, and various other locations in Mumbai. Students will leave on May 18 and return to the United States on June 20. As in past years, the trip will include a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra.
“I was so impressed the first time I visited Whistling Woods International campus in 2007, I knew I had to share it with my students,” says Goenka. “Since then, I have brought 30 Newhouse students to Bombay to receive hands-on experience in the Hindi film and television industry. It’s a life-changing experience for them, and it never would have been possible without WWI.”
Despite recent legal issues regarding the land deal that allowed WWI to be built, Goenka says the institute is “ready to welcome students with open arms once again.”
The students will blog about their experiences at https://subollywood2012.wordpress.com. Follow them on Twitter via #SUBollywood.
Participating students include Gautam Badgujar, Anthony DiBiase, Alexandra Hayes, Mina Johnson, Luis Lopez, Iris Park, Kelvin Sherman, Danielle Skipper and Kishauna Soljour.
Goenka, who was born and raised in India, has more than 30 years of experience in the film and television industry. She serves as co-director of SU’s annual Illuminating Oppression: Human Rights Film Festival. She is currently in post-production on a documentary film on Mithila painters in the Madhubani region of Bihar, India. Her book, “Not Just Bollywood: Conversations with Indian Movie Directors,” will be published later this year by Om Books International.
Hi all!
This is Palwasha, Internships Abroad Director at Go Overseas. I’ve been reading about all of your experiences interning in India. It sounds like you all had a great time!
We feature internship abroad experiences like yours to help our audience plan their trips. Let me know if you’re interested in sharing your experience at palwasha@gooverseas.com and I will send more details!
Best,
Palwasha
Hi! I am applying to Newhouse’s Television, Film & Radio programme as an undergraduate for the class of 2020. I am originally from Mumbai, India and would really like to know if this programme is still active.