Asma Arshad, Chair of CCAI

“Picture House: The Art of Bollywood”, a tribute to the unique art practice of hand painted cinema billboards and posters created by three generations of talented artists opened at the Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM).

Hon Harinder Takhar MPP, Minister for Government Services delivered the opening remarks. Speaking to artists, art enthusiasts and Bollywood fans, he expressed his love for Indian cinema dating back 60 years ago.

Joel Peters, Senior VP of Toronto Tourism, said that he has been inspired by Bollywood stars and their charitable work. He is convinced that Bollywood stars have a huge potential to mobilize the community toward charitable work. This, he said was evident in last year’s IIFA events at Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Sahebzada A Khan, the Consul General of Pakistan in Toronto, in his address introduced the Amin ur Rahman a Pakistani Canadian artist whose show White Wash opened simultaneously.   The Consul General talked about Mr. Rahman’s work in the backdrop of suicide bombings and the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

It was interesting to see that the new Bollywood movies don’t really put the names of the movies in Urdu language while the old movies had the names in Hindi, Urdu and English.

Others to speak at the opening were Robert Freeman Ex Director and Curator of the Gallery, Jonathan Dent VP CIBC, Asma Arshad Mahmood Chair CCAI and Co-Curator of the show, Ali Adil Khan Director CCAI and Co-Curator of the show, Ken Gyle Curator of White Washh and Ashsish Gandhi of CIBC. Jim Tovey Councillor for Ward 1 also attended with his wife.

Exhibition at Art Gallery of Museum