Starting on June 5th and running through June 18th 2009, the Museum of Modern Art in NYC will be featuring a sixteen-film exhibition of modern Indian cinema. Far from the Bollywood of wet sari scenes and lovers dancing around a tree, these films represent a slice of filmmaking that is young, fresh and trendsetting!

Among the films featured are Zoya Akhtar’s ‘Luck By Chance’ – look for an exclusive interview with the filmmaker in the next issue of Chic Today – Rajesh S. Jala’s moving documentary ‘Children of the Pyre’ about the kids who make a living off Varanasi’s cremation ghats, Shashank Ghosh’s tongue-in-cheek Curry Western ‘Quick Gun Murugun’ and Ashutosh Gowariker’s epic love story ‘Jodhaa Akbar’, with a soundtrack by Oscar winner A.R. Rahman. Oh, and if the names Jodhaa and Akbar sound familiar, it’s because you might have read about this legendarily odd couple in Salman Rushdie’s novel ‘The Enchantress of Florence’.

During some of the screenings, select filmmakers and celebrities will be present, such as ‘Yes Madam, Sir’ documentary subject Kiran Bedi and director Megan Doneman, as well as the great actor Naseeruddin Shah presenting his thought-provoking portrayal of a man pushed to the edge in ‘A Wednesday’ and actress-turned-director Nandita Das for ‘Firaaq’, a cinematic look at the incomprehensible battles contrasting religions continue to create in modern India.

And NYC is just the perfect place for such a grand showcase of Indian films! After viewing the exquisite entertainment on the big screen, why not catch some delicious food in Curry Hill or Jackson Heights, both flavorful Indian neighborhoods and only a couple of subway stops from the museum…