India is undergoing a retail revolution in which the aspiring middle-class is demanding more western goods and services. Modern malls are muscling into the traditional marketplace, pushing India's economic infrastructure to the limits and threatening to put thousands of bazaar owners and small farmers out of business.
In Hindi, mallamall literally means “bountiful goods,” and nowhere else in the world are the markets so lively with their jewel-colored saris, aromatic spices, and personalities to match. But in cities like Bangalore, street vendors and small business owners are pitted against savvy developers of super-stores. Generations of small merchant families have survived and thrived in urban centers, but foreign companies such as Canada's Perennial Design, are eager to capitalize on India's $650 billion retail industry. As Canadian marketing guru Chris Lund affirms: “India is where we want to channel our energy.”
“This is a positively brilliant work. Not only is it a large scale case study of marketing in India, but it gives the viewer a valuable view into corporate culture, decision making, and everyday transactions. This work is informative and engaging throughout, complete with excellent camerawork, editing, and music.”
— Educational Media Reviews Online (EMRO)
“A look at what happens when consumers ditch the street markets to shop in super malls.”
— Ranga Rajah, Suhaag.com
“The documentary looks at how vendors and small-business owners are becoming activists against the developers.”
— Kevin Connor, Toronto Sun
SELECTED SCREENINGS & AWARDS
Honorary Mention, Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award, Margaret Mead Film Festival, USA, 2013
Association of Asian Studies Film Expo, USA, 2014
The Archaeology Channel International Film and Video Festival, USA, 2014
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, USA, 2014
HumanDOC International Film Festival, Poland, 2013
Intimate Lens Ethnographic Film Festival, Italy, 2013
Calgary International Film Festival, Calgary, Alberta, 2012
FILMI: Toronto's South Asian Film Festival, Toronto, Ontario, 2012
South Asian Film Festival, Vancouver/Abbotsford/Surrey, British Columbia, 2012