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The Courtesans of Bombay

Play trailer Poster for The Courtesans of Bombay 1983 1h 13m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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In the Mumbai, India, tenement community of Pavanpul, young female courtesans sing, dance and perform sexual favors for male clientele. Directors James Ivory and Ismail Merchant blend documentary footage and dramatic reenactments in their exploration of this seamy underworld, the flip side of the Bollywood film industry, where aspiring actors and dancers -- some even sold into prostitution by their own families -- end up, with their innocence lost and their hopes for movie stardom shattered.

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Audience Member this kinda doc is another winner from merchant/ivory. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Courtesans of Bombay

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The Courtesans of Bombay

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Movie Info

Synopsis In the Mumbai, India, tenement community of Pavanpul, young female courtesans sing, dance and perform sexual favors for male clientele. Directors James Ivory and Ismail Merchant blend documentary footage and dramatic reenactments in their exploration of this seamy underworld, the flip side of the Bollywood film industry, where aspiring actors and dancers -- some even sold into prostitution by their own families -- end up, with their innocence lost and their hopes for movie stardom shattered.
Director
Ismail Merchant
Screenwriter
James Ivory, Ismail Merchant, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Aug 9, 2005
Runtime
1h 13m