Want to experience what a night out in Mumbai, India would feel like while still being situated in the middle of Pennsylvania? The Penn State Chapter of the Association for India’s Development will be hosting its third Bollywood Night Saturday in the Schwab Auditorium.

Starting at 6 p.m., students will be able to gain a genuine understanding of Indian culture while enjoying ethnic food such as samosa and experiencing what Bollywood truly has to offer. Situated in Mumbai, Bollywood is the epicenter for India’s film industry. While our cultures may differ when discussing ethnic language, food, and dress, both Hollywood and Bollywood share similar traits. Aside from the signs that Hollywood and Bollywood exhibit in their respected cities, they are both the leading innovators and producers in their countries’ film industries.

The theme for the evening is “Flavors of Bollywood.” Siddharth Advani, who has been with the PSU Chapter since 2011 and is now the treasurer, said, “In our movies we see a mix of genres such as emotion, romance, and even action. Although those flavors might be hard to incorporate together, we’re going to make an effort to appeal to a wide audience.”

This will be the first time the organization is hosting the event on campus, and the association is expecting a larger than normal turnout, having already sold more than 200 tickets. The fundamental mission for the evening is to showcase the cultural influence that Bollywood has exhibited across the globe for the past 100 years. The night will be stocked with modern and classical versions of India’s famous songs and dances, and it will also give students the chance to try their luck in karaoke and showcase some of the new films that Bollywood has to offer.

Advani later noted, “We wish to see a large portion of the Indian community come out and attend, but obviously we hope to see a large number of other international and local students as well.”