Melbourne based Danny Ben-Moshe is an award-winning documentary filmmaker.
With seven documentaries to his name from the BBC in the UK and the ABC in Australia, Danny also won Australia's top documentary prize in 2014, The Walkley Award.
Danny says: "I have been making documentaries for over a decade now, mostly on surprising stories such as Jewish history and cultural stories.”
Danny Ben-Moshe Source: Danny Ben-Moshe
Now, Danny has almost completed his next venture, 'Shalom Bollywood', which tells the untold story of Jews in Indian cinema.
Danny says: "When I learnt of the formative role Jews held in Indian cinema, I felt compelled to tell this story."
Shalom Bollywood Source: Shalom Bollywood Facebook
The Jewish community of India is the fourth largest Asian Jewish community after Israel, Asian Russia, and Iran.
The Jews settled in Mumbai (previously Bombay) during the 18th century.
The community mostly consisted of the remnants of the Bene Israeli Jews of Konkan, the Baghdadi Jews of Iraq, and the Cochin Jews of Malabar.
It is also the only community, according to Danny, that was safe from religious persecution.
In the late 1940s, the Jewish population of Mumbai (Bombay) reached nearly 30,000 but today there are less than 4,000 Jews.
Magen David Synagogue in the Mumbai suburb Byculla Source: Shalom Bollywood Facebook
Danny has spent more than 10 years gathering archive footage, and interviewing family and friends of the now deceased Jewish stars.
"This is an all singing, all dancing documentary about the Jewish heroines of the world's largest film industry: Bollywood,” he adds.
Shalom Bollywood - Lab in Mumbai Source: Shalom Bollywood Facebook
"I have made five trips to India so far to shoot the documentary."
Danny says it is very difficult to complete a documentary on Indian Jews and Bollywood.
“It's not every day you get a story about kosher curry, elephants and 12 million cinema tickets a day. But to bring the story to life I want you to see the Jewish stars in action - Sulochana, Pramila, Nadira, Uncle David - in some of the biggest films Bollywood has ever known.”
Sulochana, aka Ruby Myers, was the first female superstar of Indian cinema. Her career reached its peak in the 1920s.
Sulochana Source: Shalom Bollywood Facebook
Her stage name means "the one with the beautiful eyes."
Danny initially invested years of his unpaid time to get to know the narrative and families of the Jewish stars.
Ruby is one of the last known relatives of the Indian film superstar Sulochana.
Danny Ben-Moshe with Ruby Mordecai Source: Shalom Bollywood Facebook
Danny says: "Ruby is in her 90s but had wonderful memories to share of Sulochana and the time she spent with her family.”
Australian screen agencies and philanthropists have invested money to help Danny make it to the next stage.
"The film has been shot and edited, and it is 99 per cent complete. But, to include the groovy dance moves and sitar infused music from some of India's biggest films the Jewish actors starred in, and to prepare for distribution, the financial side needs to be taken care of,” Danny adds.
Well-known actress Ayesha Dharker recorded the narration for 'Shalom Bollywood' in London.
There have been many documentaries on Bollywood but this film gives the Jewish superstars of Indian cinema their full credit.
Ayesha Dharker Source: Shalom Bollywood Facebook
Danny finally adds that: “When you watch 'Shalom Bollywood' in the cinema or on other devices, kosher pappadams in hand, you won't regret it."
WATCH VIDEO: 'Shalom Bollywood' promo reel
To know more about 'Shalom Bollywood' and Danny Ben-Moshe’s upcoming projects, listen to his conversation with Amit Sarwal.
