It’s that time of the year again on London’s cinematic calendar: The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival (October 15-30). The full programme has been announced and it features films from 43 countries, including India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Expect Bollywood glamour in the West End as Danny Boyle’s latest Slumdog Millionaire closes the festival on October 30.

Based on the best selling Indian novel Q&A, Boyle’s film tells the story of a Mumbai slum boy who is on the verge of winning India’s equivalent to Who wants to be a Millionaire. The film stars veteran actor Anil Kapoor, who recently confessed that he did not know who the Trainspotting director was when he was offered the part.

Irrfan Khan, one of Bollywood’s most respected character actors, is also part of the cast. Last seen in international projects such as The Namesake, A Mighty Heart and The Darjeeling Limited (which closed last year’s festival), Khan is delighted to be working in meaningful cinema again after a disastrous spell in Bollywood comedy (Krazzy 4). British Asian actor, Dev Patel from TV’s Skins makes his first extended big-screen appearance.

Fans of world cinema, especially from the Indian subcontinent, are in for a treat with the screening of Kollywood’s (Tamil cinema) first Spaghetti Western Quick Gun Murugan, Bangladesh’s first modern day western The Last Thakur and Ramchand Pakistani from Pakistan which explores the lives of low caste Hindus living in Pakistan. India’s most intelligent actress Nandita Das (Earth, Fire) makes her directorial debut with Firaaq which examines the aftermath of the 2002 Hindu-Muslim riots in Gujarat state.

My pick of the world cinema films is Tahaan – A boy with a Grenade, which I saw in India last week. Director Santosh Sivan’s account of life in the war-torn Kashmir valley is moving, credible and beautifully photographed.

Public bookings (www.bfi.org.uk/lff ) open from Saturday September 27.

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