Emirati Bader Ali Habib Strengthens Cultural Ties Through Bollywood with Community Initiative ‘Saanjh’
Dubai: Bader Ali Habib, a 35-year-old Emirati, has transformed his childhood fascination with Bollywood into a community initiative aimed at bridging cultures. Long before visiting India, Habib was captivated by Mumbai’s cinematic world through television. His early memories include watching vibrant song-and-dance sequences on ‘Channel 33’, which sparked a lasting interest in Bollywood.
The first Hindi film he saw in a cinema was Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), igniting a passion that would shape his life for decades. Habib recalls, “There were football matches, cartoons, and all the usual childhood distractions. But for some reason, I could never get out of Bollywood.” This fascination led him to explore the industry through various online platforms dedicated to Bollywood, including India FM and Cine Blitz.
Discovering Another World
As the internet became more accessible, Habib immersed himself in Bollywood literature, reading reviews from critics like Taran Adarsh. His enthusiasm for film analysis eventually inspired him to share his own reviews on social media. This period marked a transformative era in Bollywood, with influential figures like music director A. R. Rahman and actor Aamir Khan redefining the industry.
Habib noted the diversity within India, stating, “It started to strike me how India has the Tier 1 cities, and a movie like Wake Up Sid (2009) could only be set in cities like Delhi and Mumbai. But Anurag Kashyap can tell stories that are more centric to the hinterlands.” Such realizations expanded his understanding of India’s geography and culture.
Another significant film for Habib was Rang de Basanti (2006), which deepened his analytical approach to cinema. He acknowledged the impact of director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and actor Aamir Khan on his perspective.
Mumbai, the City He Already Knew
Habib’s first visit to Mumbai in 2016 left a lasting impression. He described the experience as akin to visiting a theme park, where he explored studios that produced iconic films like Mughal-E-Azam. It was during a visit to Prithvi Theatre in 2024, alongside his wife Sakina, that the concept for ‘Saanjh’ was conceived.
From Fan to Founder
Inspired by the cultural discussions at Prithvi Theatre, Habib and Sakina envisioned creating a similar platform in Dubai. He observed, “Dubai has a lot of events happening, but there’s very little where communities come together to celebrate something beyond just music.” The mission of Saanjh became clear: to unite people under the umbrella of pop culture, celebrating all aspects of cinema.
Founded in November 2024, Saanjh’s inaugural event in 2025 featured a talk with filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who had significantly influenced Habib’s passion for Bollywood. Alongside the film screening of Kennedy, Habib organized a masterclass and fireside chat, a novel concept for Dubai. The turnout exceeded expectations, with nearly 95 attendees, many of whom were budding filmmakers and industry specialists seeking insights from Kashyap.
This overwhelming response confirmed Habib’s belief that there was a community of filmmaking specialists in Dubai who lacked a platform for collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Saanjh aims to fill this gap by connecting professionals and pop culture enthusiasts with renowned artists from the subcontinent, including those from the Pakistani television and South Indian cinema industries.
Building a Future Industry
In less than two years, Saanjh has hosted various events featuring artists from the subcontinent at cultural hubs across Dubai, such as Al Serkal Avenue and Expo City Dubai. The initiative has cultivated a growing online community, with over 700 members across four WhatsApp groups. Participation in public events is open to all, with some events requiring tickets to cover organizational costs.
Habib emphasized that Saanjh is not a commercial venture but a community-building initiative aimed at nurturing homegrown talent. He believes Dubai is an ideal location to bring together the best talents from the subcontinent. “Saanjh was always meant to be an extension of Dubai itself. This is my city and my country, and I wanted to give something back,” he stated.
He envisions Saanjh as a gateway for young creatives to connect with industry veterans, learn, and gain the confidence to pursue careers in cinema. Habib expressed hope for the future, suggesting that Dubai could one day host a film school led by top filmmakers from India and Pakistan, transforming the city into a hub for cinematic education and creativity.
Source: www.emirates247.com
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Published on 2026-07-02 17:17:00 • By the Editorial Desk
