Bollywood appears to be losing a legacy – its Indian Jewish patrons – at a time when it is reaching out to many countries.
Their contribution to the Hindi film industry, particularly during the silent era before independence, was significant, but it is now virtually forgotten – save in academic circles.
Not surprising, given that the number of Jews in India, which are divided into three primary lineages (Cochinis, Baghdadis, and Bene Israelis), has decreased from 30,000 in 1948 to around 5,500 now, despite having lived in the country for almost 2,000 years.
It was prohibited for Hindu and Muslim women from “respectable” families to play leading roles when India began producing films in the early twentieth century.
“Because of their significantly more Westernized upbringing, the Jewish community was more permissive when it came to performing in movies, especially by women,” Jonathan Samuel Solomon, founder chairman of the Indian Jewish Federation, told the agency.
