Five new films from India will have their world premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

The lineup includes veteran and emerging filmmakers.

"India is a nation of different cultures and languages, which makes its cinema diverse, dynamic and exciting," Noah Cowan, the festival's co-director, said in a statement Thursday.

"Films in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu and Manipuri will be here."

Never Say Goodbye, directed by Karan Johar, will spearhead the contemporary Indian cinema program at the 31st Toronto International Film Festival, running from Sept. 7 to 16.

The movie, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukherji, is described in the statement as a "passionate, sweeping love story" tinged with humour using New York City as its backdrop.

Just as any Bollywood production, the film has plenty of song and dance. Khan and Mukherji star as friends whose relationship begins to take on new meaning, calling into question each person's marriage to other people.

Prolific film industry

Bollywood is the name given to Mumbai's prolific movie industry, which churns out more than 900 films a year.

The other films include Kabul Express, directed by Kabir Khan, set in war-torn Afghanistan and covering 48 hours in the lives of five characters. The movie was filmed on location and stars John Abraham, who was last seen in Water, directed by Canadian Deepa Mehta.

Another actress who has appeared in Mehta's films (Fire and Earth), Nandita Das, has the starring role in A Grace-Keeper's Tale. Chitra Palekar directs the story about an outcast branded as a witch.

Newcomer Rajnesh Domalpalli's Vanaja focuses on the sexual wakenings of a 15-year-old girl who wants to become a dancer. 

A Cry in the Dark is a documentary about the Indian government's suppression of separatist forces in the Manipur region and is described in the statement as an "extraordinary look at abuses of authority and the fearless strength of an abused people."