OMAN-INDIA TIES, ACROSS SEA AND SPACE

different parts of India. Examples include shows of traditional dances performed in front of the students and teachers of Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi, organized by India Arab Cultural Centre of the university. Omani artists also display their paintings at various events, including a special show entitled “Between the Seas” a first of its kind art exhibition in New Delhi’s India Habitat Centre India showcasing Omani talent. This show displayed the works of Anwar Sonya, Radhika Hamlai, Hassan Meer and Antje Manser, the most prominent artists of Oman. Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) also regularly sponsors the visit of artists to Arab countries including Oman to make the cultural bonds stronger. The Omani singer Haitham Mohammed Rafi became the first Omani to win a singing contest in India, ‘Dil hai Hindustani’, singing classical Hindi songs.

In keeping with the popularity of Bollywood, the Muscat Film Festival has always engaged with the Indian film industry, showcasing some of their major and small film ventures every year. Films in Malayalam, Oriya, Bengali as well as Hindi have been screened at various MIFF events. In 2014, some Malayalam films like ‘Celluloid’, ‘Adaminte Makan Abu’, ‘Pazhassi Raja’, ‘Orissa’ and ‘Artist’ were screened. Mammooty, the well-known Malayali actor and producer were the chief guest that year. In 2018, Manisha Koirala and Mira Nair were guests of honour and Nair’s film ‘Queen of Katwe’ was screened. Some of the major film personalities of the Indian film industry have been honoured each year for their contributions. As part of the celebrations of India’s 70th Independence anniversary, an India-Oman short film festival was hosted by the Embassy of India in collaboration with the Oman Film Society and Kalamandalam, Oman.

Literature and cinema Even at a personal level, Indians in Oman have been creatively active, engaging in a number of genres like film, photography, painting as well as literature.

Whether through the social club or at an individual level, they have used Oman as an inspiration to further their talents while using the awe inspiring natural beauty and rich history of the country. This includes photographers whose works focus on Oman’s mountains, deserts, beaches and inner city streets as well as a range of people including Bedouins and mountain people.

Sudha Sha is a filmmaker who produced a film, ‘The call’, chronicling the daily life of another immigrant, this time a housemaid, living and working for a local family, ‘living in a house that is not her own and performing the role of a mother and carer, while enduring the pain of living alone herself’24. Sudha was also the coordinator of the 7th Muscat Film Festival. If art in its various manifestations has allowed for a creative expression, literature is another way of exploring the world as well as oneself. The literary works of novelists like 24 Personal interview with the filmmaker.

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