Indians are inherently aesthetic – in their dress, in their habitat, the way they serve food as well as in forms of creative expression. There is a great variety that the country has to offer and each region has its own distinct cultural tradition. Classical dance styles from the south include Bharatnatyam from Tamil Nadu, Kuchipudi from Kerala. Manipuri, which is characterised by limpid graceful movements, is generic to the northeast. Odissi, with elements similar to Bharatnatyam, is from the eastern state of Orissa. Kathak is a north Indian style which was adopted by courtesans in the Mughal era.

In music, classical styles are divided into the north Indian, comprising various gharanas (ateliers) and south Indian-the latter loosely classed together under the label, Carnatic. Aside from classical styles in painting, India has a rich contemporary art resource. Currently, many Indian artists like M.F. Hussain, Raza, Souza have international recognition.

India has a rich folk art tradition –in theatre, dance and the visual arts – as much alive today as it was in the past. Most of India’s one billion people are avid cinemagoers. Cinema is integral to their lives. It is much more than a distant, two-to-three hour distraction, it is vicarious lifestyle. The silver screen provides an alternative, an escape from the realities of day-to-day life. So it is hardly surprising that India is one of the largest producers of commercial films. More than 800 films are produced annually. While the hub of the film industry is Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata are also important centres of production.