Consider the past decade or so where Tamil films starring superstar Rajinikanth have found success in Japan, and Hindi films like Taal, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and Kabhi Alvidha Na Kehna were commercially successful in the UK and US sector. Meanwhile, Lagaan’s Oscar nomination got it considerable attention from Europe. Also making news was Mani Ratnam’s Guru, which premièred at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto, making it the first Indian movie to have gained a premiere in Canada.

And it wasn’t just movies going places; the who’s who of Indian cinema from composer A.R. Rahman, to the beautiful Aishwary Rai-Bachchan have been instrumental in thrusting India and its entertainment industry into the spotlight. Filmmakers like Deepa Mehta and Mira Nair, who have Indian roots and make movies grounded in Indian issues, only strengthened India’s presence abroad. As a result, Indian films are now increasingly common and accepted in the international film festival circuit.

Showcasing this momentum is the seventh annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, to be held from April 21-26, in California. The festival has five feature films making their world premiere, five that are making their U.S. premiere, and five films making their L.A. debut. The movies being screened are Nandita Das’s directorial debut venture, Firaaq, which looks at the aftermath of the Gujurat violence in 2002; Deepa Mehta’s Heaven on Earth about domestic violence; Sooni Taraporevala’s poignant comedy Little Zizou; and Nina Paley’s animated feature film Sita Sings The Blues. This six-day festival will be kicking off with the worldwide premiere of Anand Surapur's The Fakir of Venice about two con men, and the last movie to be screened will be Megan Doneman’s Yes Madam, Sir, a documentary on the celebrated and controversial Dr. Kiran Bedi, In addition to this jam-packed schedule, the IIFLA will be honouring Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor’s contribution to Hindi cinema by screening some of his best films like Lamhe, Virasat and Gandhi, My Father. The fest will also salute B.R. Chopra by screening his classic film Naya Daur.

Rounding off the festivities is a dinner in honour of those nominated for the Korn/Ferry International's list of 25 most influential South Asian executives in the U.S. entertainment and media industry. In doing all of this the IIFLA has made itself a “touchstone” in America for Indian cinema.

Not long ago, an outsider’s perception of Indian movie was relegated to a song-and-dance routine around the trees, heroes who did outrageous stunts and heroines who have even more outrageous hairstyles. But times have changed and Indian cinema has undergone a metamorphosis that has landed it on the international cinema map, though we’ve taken a good long while to get there.