बॉलीवूड

मुंबई येथे असलेल्या हिंदी चित्रपट सृष्टीला अनौपचारिकपणेबॉलिवुडअसे म्हणतात. बऱ्याचदा बॉलिवुड ही संज्ञा संपूर्ण भारतीय चित्रपटसृष्टीसाठी वापरली जाते, परंतु प्रत्यक्षात बॉलिवुड हा भारतीय चित्रपटसृष्टीचा एक हिस्सा आहे. बॉलीवूड भारतातील सगळ्यात मोठी चित्रपटसृष्टी असून, ती जगातील मोठ्या चित्रपटसृष्टींपैकी आहे त्यामुळे त्याला स्वप्न नागरी असेही  म्हणतात
बॉलीवूडला औपचारिकपणे हिंदी सिनेमा म्हणून संबोधले जाते,,परंतु या हिंदी चित्रपटांत काव्यात्मक उर्दू शब्दांचा वारंवार वापर सामान्य आहे.  संवाद आणि गाण्यांमध्येही भारतीय इंग्रजीचा वाढता वापर आहे. इंग्रजी शब्द आणि वाक्प्रचार किंवा अगदी संपूर्ण वाक्यांसह संवाद दर्शविणारे चित्रपट दुर्लभ नाहीत.
बॉलिवुड हे नावमुंबईचेइंग्रजी नावबॉम्बेआणि अमेरिकेतीलहॉलिवूडया शहराच्या नावांचे मिश्रण आहे.हॉलिवूडअमेरिकेतीलचित्रपटव्यवसायाचे केंद्र समजले जाते.
हॉलीवूड हे एक ठिकाण असले तरी बॉलीवूड नावाचे कोणतेही ठिकाण नाही. हा उद्योग हॉलीवूडचा गरीब चुलत भाऊ आहे असे म्हणत जरी काहीजण या नावाची निंदा करत असत
"बॉलीवूड" या शब्दाचा उगम १९७० च्या दशकात झाला. या शब्दाचे श्रेय घेण्यासाठी गीतकार, चित्रपट निर्माते आणि अभ्यासक अमित खन्ना,आणि पत्रकार बेविंदा कोलाको यांच्यासह अनेक वेगवेगळ्या लोकांनी दावा केला आहे.
"बॉलीवूड" हे नामकरण "टॉलीवूड"वरून आल्याचाही समज आहे. टॉलीवूड हे नाव १९३२पासूनपश्चिम बंगालच्यासिनेमाचा संदर्भ देण्यासाठी वापरले जात होते. बंगाली चित्रपट उद्योगकोलकाताजवळीलटॉलीगंजयेथे केंद्रित असल्याने असे असावे. "बॉलीवूड" हे नाव नंतर उदयास आले असावे असाही समज आहे. याला कारण मुंबईमधील चित्रपट उद्योग भारतीय चित्रपट उद्योगाचे केंद्र म्हणून टॉलीगंज येथील चित्रपटसृष्टीनंतर पुढे आला.
१३ मे १९१३ रोजीदादासाहेब फाळकेयांचाराजा हरिश्चंद्रहा भारतात निर्मित झालेला सर्वप्रथम चित्रपट होता. १९३० च्या सुमारास येथे दरवर्षी २००पेक्षा अधिक चित्रपटांची निर्मिती होऊ लागली होती.१९३१मध्ये प्रदर्शित झालेलाआलम आराहाअरदेशर इरानीचाचित्रपट सफल झाला. यानंतर बॉलिवुड तसेच इतर भाषांतील बोलपट प्रदर्शित होऊ लागले.
१९३० आणि ४०ची दशके भारतात मोठ्या घडामोडींचा काळ होता.जागतिक मंदीचीझळ भारतातही बसत होती तसेचदुसरे महायुद्धहीयाच काळात झाली. याच दरम्यानभारतीय स्वातंत्र्यसंग्रामआणि त्यानंतरचीफाळणीआणि त्यातील हिंसाचार भारतीय समाजाला बसलेले मोठे झटके होते. या काळातील बव्हंश बॉलीवूट चित्रपट यांकडे दुर्लक्ष करणारे पळवादी चित्रपट होते. तरीही काही चित्रपट निर्माते आणि दिग्दर्शकांनी सामाजिक प्रश्नांना हात घातला तर काहींनी स्वातंत्र्यलढा आपल्या चित्रपटांचे नेपथ्य म्हणून वापरले.
१९३७मध्ये आलम आरा चित्रपटाचे निर्माने अरदेशर इरानी यांनीकिसान कन्याहा रंगीत चित्रपट काढला. त्यानंतर लगेचच त्यांनीमदर इंडियाहा दुसरा रंगीत चित्रपटही काढला परंतु भारतात रंगीत चित्रपट १९५०पर्यंत फारसे प्रचलित झाले नाहीत. या काळात भव्य, गीत-संगीतमय प्रेमकथा आणि अतिरंजित नाट्यकथा असलेले चित्रपटांचा सुळसुळाट होता.
FollowingIndia's independence, the period from the late 1940s to the 1960s are regarded by film historians as the "Golden Age" of Hindi cinema.FollowingIndia's independence, the period from the late 1940s to the 1960s are regarded by film historians as the "Golden Age" of Hindi cinema.Some of the most critically-acclaimed Hindi films of all time were produced during this period. Examples include theGuru DuttfilmsPyaasa(1957) andKaagaz Ke Phool(1959) and theRaj KapoorfilmsAwaara(1951) andShree 420(1955). These films expressed social themes mainly dealing with working-class urban life in India;Awaarapresented the city as both a nightmare and a dream, whilePyaasacritiqued the unreality of city life.Some of the most famousepic films of Hindi cinema were also produced at the time, includingMehboob Khan'sMother India(1957), which was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Film,andK. Asif'sMughal-e-Azam(1960).V. Shantaram'sDo Aankhen Barah Haath(1957) is believed to have inspired theHollywoodfilmThe Dirty Dozen(1967).Madhumati(1958), directed byBimal Royand written byRitwik Ghatak, popularized the theme ofreincarnationinWestern popular culture.Other acclaimed mainstream Hindi filmmakers at the time includedKamal AmrohiandVijay Bhatt. Successful actors at the time includedDev Anand,Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Guru Dutt, while successful actresses includedNargis,Meena Kumari,Nutan,Madhubala,Waheeda RehmanandMala Sinha.
While commercial Hindi cinema was thriving, the 1950s also saw the emergence of a newParallel Cinemamovement.Though the movement was mainly led byBengali cinema, it also began gaining prominence in Hindi cinema. Early examples of Hindi films in this movement includeChetan Anand'sNeecha Nagar(1946)and Bimal Roy'sTwo Acres of Land(1953). Their critical acclaim, as well as the latter's commercial success, paved the way for Indianneorealismand theIndian New Wave.Some of the internationally-acclaimed Hindi filmmakers involved in the movement includedMani Kaul,Kumar Shahani,Ketan Mehta,Govind Nihalani,Shyam BenegalandVijaya Mehta.
Ever since thesocial realistfilmNeecha Nagarwon theGrand Prizeat thefirst Cannes Film Festival,Hindi films were frequently in competition for thePalme d'Orat theCannes Film Festivalthroughout the 1950s and early 1960s, with some of them winning major prizes at the festival.Guru Dutt, while overlooked in his own lifetime, had belatedly generated international recognition much later in the 1980s.Dutt is now regarded as one of the greatestAsian filmmakersof all time, alongside the more famous Indian Bengali filmmakerSatyajit Ray. The 2002Sight & Soundcritics' and directors' poll of greatest filmmakers ranked Dutt at #73 on the list.Some of his films are now included among thegreatest films of all time, withPyaasa(1957) being featured inTime magazine's "All-TIME" 100 best movieslist,and with bothPyaasaandKaagaz Ke Phool(1959) tied at #160 in the 2002Sight & Soundcritics' and directors' poll of all-time greatest films. Several other Hindi films from this era were also ranked in theSight & Soundpoll, includingRaj Kapoor'sAwaara(1951),Vijay Bhatt'sBaiju Bawra(1952),Mehboob Khan'sMother India(1957) andK. Asif'sMughal-e-Azam(1960) all tied at #346 on the list.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, romance movies and action films starred actors likeRajesh KhannaandDharmendra, and actresses likeSharmila Tagore,Mumtaz,Leena ChandavarkarandHelen. In the mid-1970s, romantic confections made way for gritty, violent films about gangsters (seeIndian mafia) and bandits.अमिताभ बच्चन, the star known for his "angry young man" roles, rode the crest of this trend with actors likeMithun ChakrabortyandAnil Kapoor, which lasted into the early 1990s. Actresses from this era includedHema Malini,Jaya BachchanandRekha.
Some Hindi filmmakers such asShyam Benegalcontinued to produce realisticParallel Cinemathroughout the 1970s,alongsideMani Kaul,Kumar Shahani,Ketan Mehta,Govind NihalaniandVijaya Mehta.However, the 'art film' bent of the Film Finance Corporation came under criticism during a Committee on Public Undertakings investigation in 1976, which accused the body of not doing enough to encourage commercial cinema. The 1970s thus saw the rise of commercial cinema in the form of enduring films such asSholay(1975), which solidified Amitabh Bachchan's position as a lead actor. The devotional classicJai Santoshi Mawas also released in 1975.Another important film from 1975 wasDeewar, directed byYash Chopraand written bySalim-Javed. Acrime filmpitting "a policeman against his brother, a gang leader based on real-life smugglerHaji Mastan", portrayed by Amitabh Bachchan, it was described as being “absolutely key to Indian cinema” byDanny Boyle.The most internationally-acclaimed Hindi film of the 1980s wasMira Nair'sSalaam Bombay!(1988), which won theCamera d'Orat the1988 Cannes Film Festivaland was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the pendulum swung back toward family-centric romantic musicals with the success of such films asQayamat Se Qayamat Tak(1988),Maine Pyar Kiya(1989),Hum Aapke Hain Kaun(1994) andDilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge(1995), making stars out of a new generation of actors (such asआमिर खान,सलमान खानandशाहरुख खान) and actresses (such asSridevi,माधुरी दिक्षित,जुही चावलाandKajol).In that point of time, action and comedy films were also successful, with actors likeGovindaandअक्षय कुमारand actresses such asरवीना टंडनandकरिश्मा कपूरappearing in films of this genre. Furthermore, this decade marked the entry of new performers inarthouseand independent films, some of which succeeded commercially, the most influential example beingSatya(1998), directed byRam Gopal Varmaand written byAnurag Kashyap. The critical and commercial success ofSatyaled to the emergence of a distinct genre known asMumbai noir,urban films reflecting social problems in the city ofमुंबई.This led to a resurgence ofParallel Cinemaby the end of the decade.These films often featured actors likeNana Patekar,मनोज बाजपाई,मनीषा कोइराला,तब्बूandUrmila Matondkar, whose performances were usually critically approved.
The 2000s saw a growth in Bollywood's popularity in the world. This led the nation's filmmaking to new heights in terms of quality, cinematography and innovative story lines as well as technical advances in areas such as special effects, animation, etc.Some of the largest production houses, among themYash Raj FilmsandDharma Productionswere the producers of new modern films.The opening up of the overseas market, more Bollywood releases abroad and the explosion of multiplexes in big cities, led to wider box office successes in India and abroad, includingLagaan(2001),Devdas(2002),Koi... Mil Gaya(2003),Kal Ho Naa Ho(2003),Veer-Zaara(2004),Rang De Basanti(2006),Lage Raho Munnabhai(2006),Krrish(2006),Dhoom 2(2006),Om Shanti Om(2007),Chak De India(2007),Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi(2008),Ghajini(2008) and3 Idiots(2009), delivering a new generation of popular actors (Hrithik Roshan,अभिषेक बच्चन) and actresses (Aishwarya Rai,प्रीती झिंटा,राणी मुखर्जी,करीना कपूरandPriyanka Chopra), and keeping the popularity of actors of the previous decade. Among the mainstream films,Lagaanwon the Audience Award at theLocarno International Film Festivaland was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the74th Academy Awards, whileDevdasandRang De Basantiwere both nominated for theBAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
The Hindi film industry has preferred films that appeal to all segments of the audience (see the discussion in Ganti, 2004, cited in references), and has resisted making films that target narrow audiences. It was believed that aiming for a broad spectrum would maximise box office receipts. However, filmmakers may be moving towards accepting some box-office segmentation, between films that appeal to rural Indians, and films that appeal to urban and overseas audiences.
Gokulsing and Dissanayake identify six major influences that have shaped the conventions of Indian popular cinema:
In the 2000s, Bollywood began influencingmusical films in theWestern world, and played a particularly instrumental role in the revival of the American musical film genre.Baz Luhrmannstated that his musical filmMoulin Rouge!(2001) was directly inspired by Bollywood musicals.The film incorporated an Indian-themed play based on the ancientSanskrit dramaThe Little Clay Cartand a Bollywood-style dance sequence with a song from the filmChina Gate. The critical and financial success ofMoulin Rouge!renewed interest in the then-moribund Western musical genre, and subsequently films such asChicago,The Producers,Rent,Dreamgirls,Hairspray,Sweeney Todd,Across the Universe,The Phantom of the Opera,EnchantedandMamma Mia!were produced, fueling a renaissance of the genre.
A. R. Rahman, an Indian film composer, wrote the music forAndrew Lloyd Webber'sBombay Dreams, and a musical version ofHum Aapke Hain Kounhas played in London's West End. The Bollywood musicalLagaan(2001) was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and two other Bollywood filmsDevdas(2002) andRang De Basanti(2006) were nominated for theBAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film.Danny Boyle'sSlumdog Millionaire(2008), which has won fourGolden Globesandeight Academy Awards, was also directly inspired by Bollywood films,and is considered to be a "homage to Hindi commercial cinema".Several other Hollywood films are also believed to have been inspired by Bollywood films. For example,V. Shantaram'sDo Aankhen Barah Haath(1957) is believed to have inspired theHollywoodfilmThe Dirty Dozen(1967).The theme ofreincarnationwas also popularized inWestern popular culturethrough Bollywood films, withMadhumati(1958) inspiring the Hollywood filmThe Reincarnation of Peter Proud(1975),which in turn inspired the Bollywood filmKarz(1980), which in turn influenced another Hollywood filmChances Are(1989).The 1975 filmChhoti Si Baatis believed to have inspiredHitch(2005), which in turn inspired the Bollywood filmPartner(2007).
The influence of Bollywoodfilmimusic can also be seen inpopular musicelsewhere in the world. For example,Devo's 1988 hit song "Disco Dancer" was inspired by the song "I am a Disco Dancer" from the Bollywood filmDisco Dancer(1982).The 2002 song "Addictive", sung byTruth Hurtsand produced byDJ QuikandDr. Dre, was lifted fromLata Mangeshkar's "Thoda Resham Lagta Hai" fromJyoti(1981).TheBlack Eyed Peas'Grammy Awardwinning 2005 song "Don't Phunk with My Heart" was inspired by two 1970s Bollywood songs: "Ye Mera Dil Yaar Ka Diwana" fromDon(1978)and "Ae Nujawan Hai Sub" fromApradh(1972).Both songs were originally composed byKalyanji Anandji, sung byAsha Bhosle, and featured the dancerHelen.Also in 2005, theKronos Quartetre-recorded severalR. D. Burmancompositions, withAsha Bhosleas the singer, into an albumYou've stolen my heart - Songs From R D Burman's Bollywood, which was nominated for "Best Contemporary World Music Album" at the 2006 Grammy Awards.Filmimusic composed byA. R. Rahman(who would later win twoAcademy Awards for theSlumdog Millionairesoundtrack) has frequently been sampled by musicians elsewhere in the world, including theSingaporean artistKelly Poon, theUzbek artistIroda Dilroz, theFrenchrap groupLa Caution, the American artistCiara, and theGermanbandLöwenherz,among others. ManyAsian Undergroundartists, particularly those among theoverseas Indian diaspora, have also been inspired by Bollywood music.
Bollywood films are mostlymusicals, and are expected to contain catchy music in the form of song-and-dance numbers woven into the script. A film's success often depends on the quality of such musical numbers.Indeed, a film's music is often released before the movie itself and helps increase the audience.
Indian audiences expect full value for their money, with a good entertainer generally referred to aspaisavasool, (literally, "money's worth").Songs and dances, love triangles,comedyand dare-devil thrills are all mixed up in a three-hour-long extravaganza with an intermission. Such movies are calledmasalafilms, after the Hindi word for a spice mixture. Likemasalas, these movies are a mixture of many things such as action, comedy, romance etc. Most films haveheroeswho are able to fight off villains all by themselves.
Bollywood plots have tended to bemelodramatic. They frequently employ formulaic ingredients such as star-crossed lovers and angry parents, love triangles, family ties, sacrifice, corrupt politicians, kidnappers, conniving villains,courtesans with hearts of gold, long-lost relatives and siblings separated by fate, dramatic reversals of fortune, and convenient coincidences.
There have always been Indian films with more artistic aims and more sophisticated stories, both inside and outside the Bollywood tradition (seeParallel Cinema). They often lost out at the box office to movies with more mass appeal. Bollywood conventions are changing, however. A large Indian diaspora in English speaking countries, and increasedWesterninfluence at home, have nudged Bollywood films closer to Hollywood models.
Film critic Lata Khubchandani writes,"..our earliest films...had liberal doses of sex and kissing scenes in them. Strangely, it was after Independence the censor board came into being and so did all the strictures."Plots now tend to feature Westernised urbanites dating and dancing in clubs rather than centering on pre-arranged marriages. Though these changes can widely be seen in contemporary Bollywood, traditional conservative ways of Indian culture continue to exist in India outside the industry and an element of resistance by some to western-based influences.Despite this, Bollywood continues to play a major role in fashion in India.Indeed some studies into fashion in India have revealed that some people are unaware that the changing nature of fashion in Bollywood films which are presented to them are often influenced by globalisation and many consider the clothes worn by Bollywood actors as authentically Indian.
Bollywood employs people from all parts of India. It attracts thousands of aspiring actors and actresses, all hoping for a break in the industry. Models and beauty contestants, television actors, theatre actors and even common people come to Mumbai with the hope and dream of becoming a star. Just as in Hollywood, very few succeed. Since many Bollywood films are shot abroad, many foreign extras are employed too.
Stardom in the entertainment industry is very fickle, and Bollywood is no exception. The popularity of the stars can rise and fall rapidly.Directorscompete to hire the most popular stars of the day, who are believed to guarantee the success of a movie (though this belief is not always supported by box-office results). Hence many stars make the most of their fame, once they become popular, by making several movies simultaneously.
Only a very few non-Indian actors are able to make a mark in Bollywood, though many have tried from time to time. There have been some exceptions, one recent example is the hit filmRang De Basanti, where the lead actress isAlice Patten, an Englishwoman.Kisna,Lagaan, andThe Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandeyalso featured foreign actors.
Bollywood can be very clannish, and the relatives of film-industry insiders have an edge in getting coveted roles in films or being part of a film's crew. Industry connections are no guarantee of a long career: competition is fierce and if film industry scions do not succeed at the box office, their careers will falter. Some of the biggest stars, such asDharmendra,अमिताभ बच्चन, andशाहरुख खानhave succeeded despite total lack of show business connections. For film clans, seeList of Bollywood film clans.
सहसा बॉलिवूड चित्रपटांचे ध्वनीमुद्रण चित्रीकरणासह होत नाही. चित्रीकरण संपल्यावर स्टु़डियोमध्ये अभिनेते व इतर ध्वनिकलाकार चित्रांसोबत संवाद/आवाचांचे मुद्रीकरण करतात.Process known as "looping in the sound" orADR—with thefoleyand sound effects added later. This creates several problems, since the sound in these films usually occurs a frame or two earlier or later than the mouth movements or gestures.The actors have to act twice: once on-location, once in the studio—and the emotional level on set is often very difficult to recreate. Commercial Indian films, not just the Hindi-language variety, are known for their lack of ambient sound, so there is a silence underlying everything instead of the background sound and noises usually employed in films to create aurally perceivable depth and environment.
The ubiquity of ADR in Bollywood cinema became prevalent in the early 1960s with the arrival of theArriflex 3camera, which required a blimp (cover) in order to shield the sound of the camera, for which it was notorious, from on-location filming. Commercial Indian filmmakers, known for their speed, never bothered to blimp the camera, and its excessive noise required that everything had to be recreated in the studio. Eventually, this became the standard for Indian films.
The trend was bucked in 2001, after a 30-year hiatus of synchronized sound, with the filmLagaan, in which producer-starआमिर खानinsisted that the sound be done on location.This opened up a heated debate on the use and economic feasibility of on-location sound, and several Bollywood films have employed on-location sound since then.
Bollywood film music is calledfilmimusic (from Hindi, meaning "of films"). Songs from Bollywood movies are generally pre-recorded by professional playback singers, with the actors thenlip synching the words to the song on-screen, often while dancing. While most actors, especially today, are excellent dancers, few are also singers. One notable exception wasKishore Kumar, who starred in several major films in the 1950s while also having a stellar career as a playback singer.K. L. Saigal, Suraiyya, andNoor Jehanwere also known as both singers and actors. Some actors in the last thirty years have sung one or more songs themselves; for a list, seeSinging actors and actresses in Indian cinema.
Playback singers are prominently featured in the opening credits and have their ownfanswho will go to an otherwise lackluster movie just to hear their favourites. Going by the quality as well as the quantity of the songs they rendered, most notable singers of Bollywood areLata Mangeshkar,Asha Bhosle,Geeta Dutt,Shamshad BegumandAlka Yagnikamong female playback singers; and K. L. Saigal, Talat Mahmood,Mukesh,Mohammed Rafi,Manna Dey,Hemant Kumar,Kishore Kumar,Kumar Sanu,S.P.Balasubramanyam,Udit NarayanandSonu Nigamamong male playback singers. Mohammed Rafi is often considered arguably the finest of the singers that have lent their voice to Bollywood songs, followed by Lata Mangeshkar, who, through the course of a career spanning over six decades, has recorded thousands of songs for Indian movies. Thecomposers of film music, known as music directors, are also well-known. Their songs can make or break a film and usually do.Remixing of film songs with modern beats and rhythms is a common occurrence today, and producers may even release remixed versions of some of their films' songs along with the films' regularsoundtrackalbums.
The dancing in Bollywood films, especially older ones, is primarily modelled on Indian dance: classical dance styles, dances of historic northern Indian courtesans (tawaif), orfolk dances. In modern films, Indian dance elements often blend with Western dance styles (as seen onMTVor in Broadway musicals), though it is not unusual to see Western popandpure classical dance numbers side by side in the same film. The hero or heroine will often perform with a troupe of supporting dancers. Many song-and-dance routines in Indian films feature unrealistically instantaneous shifts of location or changes of costume between verses of a song. If the hero and heroine dance and sing apas de deux, it is often staged in beautiful natural surroundings or architecturally grand settings. This staging is referred to as a "picturisation".
Songs typically comment on the action taking place in the movie, in several ways. Sometimes, a song is worked into the plot, so that a character has a reason to sing; other times, a song is an externalisation of a character's thoughts, or presages an event that has not occurred yet in the plot of the movie. In this case, the event is almost always two characters falling in love.
Bollywood films have always used what are now called "item numbers". A physically attractive female character (the "item girl"), often completely unrelated to the main cast and plot of the film, performs a catchy song and dance number in the film. In older films, the "item number" may be performed by a courtesan (tawaif) dancing for a rich client or as part of a cabaret show. The dancerHelenwas famous for her cabaret numbers. In modern films, item numbers may be inserted asdiscothequesequences, dancing at celebrations, or as stage shows.
For the last few decades Bollywood producers have been releasing the film's soundtrack, as tapes or CDs, before the main movie release, hoping that the music will pull audiences into the cinema later. Often the soundtrack is more popular than the movie. In the last few years some producers have also been releasing music videos, usually featuring a song from the film. However, some promotional videos feature a song which is not included in the movie.
The film script or lines of dialogue (called "dialogues" in Indian English) and the song lyrics are often written by different people.
Dialogues are usually written in an unadorned HindiorHindustanithat would be understood by the largest possible audience. Some movies, however, have used regional dialects to evoke a village setting, or old-fashioned courtlyउर्दू भाषाinMughal erahistorical films. Contemporary mainstream movies also make great use of English. Some movie scripts are first written inRoman alphabet.Characters may shift from one language to the other to express a certain atmosphere (for example, English in a business setting and Hindi in an informal one).
Cinematic language, whether in dialogues or lyrics, is often melodramatic and invokes God, family, mother, duty, and self-sacrifice liberally.
Music directors often prefer working with certain lyricists, to the point that the lyricist and composer are seen as a team. This phenomenon is not unlike the pairings of American composers and songwriters that created old-time Broadway musicals (e.g.,Richard RodgersandOscar Hammerstein II, orAlan Jay LernerandFrederick Loewe). Song lyrics are usually about love. Bollywood song lyrics, especially in the old movies, frequently use Arabo-Persic Urdu vocabulary. Another source for love lyrics is the longHindutradition of poetry about the mythological amours ofKrishna,Radha, and thegopis. Many lyrics compare the singer to a devotee and the object of his or her passion to Krishna or Radha.
Bollywood films are multi-million dollar productions, with the most expensive productions costing up to 100croresrupees(roughlyUSD20 million).Sets, costumes,special effects, andcinematographywere less than world-class up until the mid-to-late 1990s, although with some notable exceptions. As Western films and television gain wider distribution in India itself, there is an increasing pressure for Bollywood films to attain the same production levels, particularly in areas such as action and special effects. Recent Bollywood films have employed international technicians to improve in these areas, such asKrrish(2006) which has action choreographed byHong KongbasedTony Ching. The increasing accessibility to professional action and special effects, coupled with rising film budgets, has seen an explosion in the action and sci-fi genres.
Sequences shot overseas have proved a realbox officedraw, so Mumbai film crews are increasingly filming inऑस्ट्रेलिया,Canada,न्यू झीलंड, theUnited Kingdom, theUnited States,continental Europeand elsewhere. Nowadays, Indian producers are winning more and more funding for big-budget films shot within India as well, such asLagaan,Devdasand other recent films.
Funding for Bollywood films often comes from private distributors and a few largestudios. Indian banks and financial institutions were forbidden from lending money to movie studios. However, this ban has now been lifted.As finances are not regulated, some funding also comes from illegitimate sources, such as theMumbai underworld. The Mumbai underworld has been known to be involved in the production of several films, and are notorious for their patronisation of several prominent film personalities; On occasion, they have been known to use money and muscle power to get their way in cinematic deals. In January 2000, Mumbai mafia hitmen shotRakesh Roshan, a film director and father of starHrithik Roshan. In 2001, theCentral Bureau of Investigationseized all prints of the movieChori Chori Chupke Chupkeafter the movie was found to be funded by members of theMumbai underworld.
Another problem facing Bollywood is widespreadcopyright infringementof its films. Often, bootlegDVDcopies of movies are available before the prints are officially released incinemas. Manufacturing of bootleg DVD, VCD, and VHS copies of the latest movie शीर्षकs is a well established 'small scale industry' in parts ofSouth AsiaandSouth East Asia. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) estimates that the Bollywood industry loses $100 million annually in loss of revenue from pirated home videos and DVDs. Besides catering to the homegrown market, demand for these copies is large amongst some sections of theIndian diaspora, too. (In fact, bootleg copies are the only way people in Pakistan can watch Bollywood movies, since the Government of Pakistan has banned their sale, distribution and telecast). Films are frequently broadcast without compensation by countless small cable TV companies in India and other parts of South Asia. Small convenience stores run by members of the Indian diaspora in the U.S. and the UK regularly stock tapes and DVDs of dubious provenance, while consumer copying adds to the problem. The availability of illegal copies of movies on the Internet also contributes to the piracy problem.
Satellite TV, television and imported foreign films are making huge inroads into the domestic Indian entertainment market. In the past, most Bollywood films could make money; now fewer tend to do so. However, most Bollywood producers make money, recouping their investments from many sources of revenue, including selling ancillary rights. There are also increasing returns from theatres in Western countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, where Bollywood is slowly getting noticed. As more Indians migrate to these countries, they form a growing market for upscale Indian films.
For an interesting comparison of Hollywood and Bollywood financial figures, seechart. It shows tickets sold in 2002 and total revenue estimates. Bollywood sold 3.6 billion tickets and had total revenues (theatre tickets, DVDs, television etc.) ofUS$1.3 billion, whereas Hollywood films sold 2.6 billion tickets and generated total revenues (again from all formats) of US$51 billion.
Many Indian artists used to make a living by hand-painting movie billboards and posters (The well-known artistM.F. Hussainused to paint film posters early in his career) This was because human labour was found to be cheaper than printing and distributing publicity material.Now, a majority of the huge and ubiquitous billboards in India's major cities are created with computer-printed vinyl. The old hand-painted posters, once regarded as ephemera, are becoming increasingly collectible asfolk art.
Releasing the film music, or music videos, before the actual release of the film can also be considered a form of advertising. A popular tune is believed to help pull audiences into the theaters.
Bollywood publicists have begun to use the Internet as a venue for advertising. Most of the better-funded film releases now have their own websites, where browsers can view trailers, stills, and information about the story, cast, and crew.
Bollywood is also used to advertise other products.Product placement, as used in Hollywood, is widely practiced in Bollywood.
Bollywood movie stars appear in print and television advertisements for other products, such as watches or soap (seeCelebrity endorsement). Advertisers say that a star endorsement boosts sales.
TheFilmfare Awardsceremony is one of the most prominent film events given forHindi films in India.The Indian screen magazineFilmfarestarted the first Filmfare Awards in 1954, and awards were given to the best films of 1953. The ceremony was referred to as theClare Awardsafter the magazine's editor. Modelled after the poll-based merit format of theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, individuals may submit their votes in separate categories. A dual voting system was developed in 1956.Like the Oscars, the Filmfare awards are frequently accused of bias towards commercial success rather than artistic merit.
As the Filmfare, theNational Film Awardswere introduced in 1954. Since 1973, the Indian government has sponsored the National Film Awards, awarded by the government runDirectorate of Film Festivals(DFF). The DFF screens not only Bollywood films, but films from all the other regional movie industries and independent/art films. These awards are handed out at an annual ceremony presided over by the President of India. Under this system, in contrast to the National Film Awards, which are decided by a panel appointed by Indian Government, the Filmfare Awards are voted for by both the public and a committee of experts.
Additional ceremonies held within India are:
Ceremonies held overseas are:
Most of these award ceremonies are lavishly staged spectacles, featuring singing, dancing, and numerous celebrities.
Besides being popular among the India diaspora, such far off locations as Nigeria to Egypt to Senegal and to Russia generations of non-Indian fans have grown up with Bollywood during the years, bearing witness to the cross-cultural appeal of Indian movies.Over the last years of the twentieth century and beyond, Bollywood progressed in its popularity as it entered the consciousness of Western audiences and producers.
Historically, Hindi films have been distributed to some parts of Africa, largely byLebanesebusinessmen.Mother India(1957), for example, continued to be played inNigeriadecades after its release. Indian movies have also gained ground so as to alter the style ofHausafashions, songs have also been copied by Hausa singers and stories have influenced the writings of Nigerian novelists. Stickers of Indian films and stars decorate taxis and buses in Northern Nigeria, while posters of Indian films adorn the walls of tailor shops and mechanics' garages in the country. Unlike inयुरोपandNorth Americawhere Indian films largely cater to the expatriate Indian market yearning to keep in touch with their homeland, inWest Africa, as in many other parts of the world, such movies rose in popularity despite the lack of a significant Indian audience, where movies are about an alien culture, based on a religion wholly different, and, for the most part, a language that is unintelligble to the viewers. One such explanation for this lied in the similarities between the two cultures. Other similarities include wearing turbans; the presence of animals in markets; porters carrying large bundles, chewing sugar cane; youths ridingBajajmotor scooters; wedding celebrations, and so forth. With the strict Muslim culture, Indian movies were said to show "respect" toward women, where Hollywood movies were seen to have "no shame". In Indian movies women were modestly dressed, men and women rarely kiss, and there is nonudity, thus Indian movies are said to "have culture" that Hollywood films lack. The latter choice was a failure because "they don't base themselves on the problems of the people," where the former is basedsocialistvalues and on the reality of developing countries emerging from years of colonialism. Indian movies also allowed for a new youth culture to follow without such ideological baggage as "becoming western."
Bollywood is also popular amongSomalisand the Somali diaspora, where the emergingIslamic Courts Unionfound abete noire.ChadandEthiopiahave also shown an interest in the movies.
Several Bollywood personalities have avenued to the continent for both shooting movies and off-camera projects. The filmPadmashree Laloo Prasad Yadav(2005) was one of many movies shot in South Africa.Dil Jo Bhi Kahey(2005) was shot almost entirely inMauritius, which has a large ethnically Indian population.
Ominously, however, the popularity of old Bollywood versus a new, changing Bollywood seems to be diminishing the popularity on the continent. The changing style of Bollywood has begun to question such an acceptance. The new era features more sexually explicit and violent films. Nigerian viewers, for example, commented that older films of the 1950s and 1960s had culture to the newer, more westernized picturizations.The old days of India avidly "advocating decolonization ... and India's policy was wholly influenced by his missionary zeal to end racial domination and discrimination in the African territories" were replaced by newer realities.The emergence ofNollywood, Africa's local movie industry has also contributed to the declining popularity of Bollywood films. A greaterglobalisedworld worked in tandem with the sexualisation of Indian films so as to become more like American films, thus negating the preferred values of an old Bollywood and diminishing Indiansoft power.
Bollywood films are widely watched inSouth Asian countries, such asBangladesh,Nepal,Pakistanandश्रीलंका.
Many Pakistanis watch Bollywood films, as they understand Hindi (due to its linguistic similarity toउर्दू भाषा).Pakistan banned the legal import of Bollywood movies in 1965. However, a thriving trade in pirated DVDsand illegal cable broadcasts ensured the continued popularity of Bollywood releases in Pakistan. Exceptions were made for a few films, such as the 2006 colorized re-release of the classicMughal-e-Azamor the 2006 filmTaj Mahal. Early in 2008, the Pakistani government eased the ban and allowed the import of even more movies; 16 were screened in 2008.Continued easing followed in 2009 and 2010. The new policy is controversial in Pakistan. It is opposed by ardent nationalists and representatives of Pakistan's small film industry; it is embraced by cinema owners, who are booking large profits after years of poor receipts.
Bollywood movies are also popular inAfghanistandue to the country's proximity with the Indian subcontinent and certain other cultural perspectives present in the movies.A number of Bollywood movies were filmed inside Afghanistan while some dealt with the country, includingDharmatma,Kabul Express,Khuda GawahandEscape From Taliban.Hindi films have also been popular in numerousArab countries, including Palestine, Jordan, Egypt and theGulf countries.Imported Indian films are usually subशीर्षकd in Arabic upon the film's release. Since the early 2000s, Bollywood has progressed inIsrael. Special channels dedicated to Indian films have been displayed on cable television.Bollywood films are also popular acrossSoutheast Asia(particularly theMalay Archipelago)andCentral Asia(particularly inUzbekistanandTajikistan).
Some Hindi movies also became big successes in thePeople's Republic of Chinaduring the 1940s and 1950s. The most popular Hindi films inChinawereDr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani(1946),Awaara(1951) andTwo Acres of Land(1953).Raj Kapoorwas a famousmovie starin China, and the song "Awara Hoon" ("I am a Tramp") was popular in the country. Since then, Hindi films significantly declined in popularity in China, until theAcademy AwardnominatedLagaan(2001) became the first Indian film to have a nation-wide release there in decades.TheChinesefilmmakerHe Pingwas impressed byLagaan, especially its soundtrack, and thus hired the film's music composerA. R. Rahmanto score the soundtrack for his filmWarriors of Heaven and Earth(2003).Several older Hindi films also have a cult following inJapan, particularly the films directed by the lateGuru Dutt.
बॉलीवूडचे सिनेमेरशियामधेविशेषतः प्रसिद्ध आहेत. Bollywood films have beendubbedinto Russian, and shown in prominent theatres such asMosfilmandLenfilm.
सुरिनाममधीलभारतीय दूत अशोक शर्मा, जे आपल्या कारकिर्दीत तीन वेळेसस्वतंत्र राज्यांच्या राष्ट्रसंघातकार्यरत होते, म्हणतात :
The filmMera Naam Joker(1970), sought to cater to such an appeal and the popularity ofRaj Kapoorin Russia, when it recruited Russian actressKseniya Ryabinkinafor the movie. In the contemporary era,Lucky: No Time for Lovewas shot entirely in Russia. After the collapse of the Soviet film distribution system, Hollywood occupied the void created in the Russian film market. This made things difficult for Bollywood as it was losing market share to Hollywood. However, Russian newspapers report that there is a renewed interest in Bollywood among young Russians.
The awareness of Hindi cinema is also substantial in the United Kingdom,where they frequently enter the UK top ten. Many films, such asKabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham(2001) have been set in London. Bollywood is also appreciated inफ्रांस,जर्मनी, theNetherlands, and theScandinavian countries. Various Bollywood movies are dubbed in German and shown on the German television channelRTL IIon a regular basis.A considerable number of Hindi movies has been shot in Western Europe as well, particularly inSwitzerland, starting withDilwale Dulhania le Jayenge.
गेल्या काही वर्षांत उत्तर अमेरिकेमध्ये बॉलिवूड चित्रपटांच लोकप्रियता वाढलेली आहे. मुख्यत्वे शिकागो, डॅलस सारख्या मोठ्या शहरांतील दक्षिण आशियाई लोकांमध्ये हे अधिक दिसून येते.Yash Raj Films, one of India's largest production houses and distributors, reported in September 2005 that Bollywood films in the United States earn around $100 million a year through theater screenings, video sales and the sale of movie soundtracks.In other words, films from India do more business in the United States than films from any other non-English speaking country.Numerous films in the mid-1990s and onwards have been largely, or entirely, shot in New York, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Toronto. Bollywood's immersion in the traditional Hollywood domain was further tied with such films asThe Guru(2002) andMarigold: An Adventure in India(2007) trying to popularise the Bollywood-theme for Hollywood.
Bollywood is not as successful in the Oceanic countries and Pacific Islands such asNew Guinea. However, it ranks second to Hollywood in countries such asFiji, with its large Indian minority, Australia and New Zealand.
Australia is one of the countries where there is a large South Asian Diaspora. Bollywood is popular amongst non-Asians in the country as well.Since 1997 the country has provided a backdrop for an increasing number of Bollywood films.Indian filmmakers have been attracted to Australia's diverse locations and landscapes, and initially used it as the setting for song-and-dance sequences, which demonstrated the contrast between the values.However, nowadays, Australian locations are becoming more important to the plot of Bollywood films.Hindi films shot in Australia usually incorporate aspects of Australian lifestyle. TheYash Raj FilmSalaam Namaste(2005) became the first Indian film to be shot entirely in Australia and was the most successful Bollywood film of 2005 in the country.This was followed byHeyy Babyy(2007)Chak De! India(2007) andSingh Is Kinng(2008) which turned out to be box office successes.Following the release ofSalaam Namaste, on a visit to India the then Prime MinisterJohn Howardalso sought, having seen the film, to have more Indian movies shooting in the country to boost tourism, where the Bollywood and cricket nexus, was further tightened withSteve Waugh's appointment as tourism ambassador to India.Australian actressTania Zaetta, who co-starred inSalaam Namaste, among other Bollywood films, expressed her keenness to expand her career in Bollywood.
Bollywood movies are not influential in South America, though Bollywood culture and dance is recognised. In 2006,Dhoom 2became the first Bollywood film to be shot inRio de Janeiro,Brazil.
Constrained by rushed production schedules and small budgets, some Bollywood writers and musicians have been known to resort to plagiarism. Ideas, plot lines, tunes or riffs have been copied from otherIndian film industriesor foreign films (includingHollywoodand otherAsian films). This has led to criticism towards the film industry.
In past times, this could be done with impunity. Copyright enforcement was lax in India and few actors or directors ever saw an official contract.The Hindi film industry was not widely known to non-Indian audiences (excluding theSovietstates), who would not even be aware that their material was being copied. Audiences may also not have been aware of the plagiarism since many audiences in India were unfamiliar with foreign films and music. While copyright enforcement in India is still somewhat lenient, Bollywood and other film industries are much more aware of each other now and Indian audiences are more familiar with foreign movies and music. Organizations like the India EU Film Initiative seek to foster a community between film makers and industry professional between India and the EU.
One of the common justifications of plagiarism in Bollywood is that producers often play a safer option by remaking popular Hollywood films in an Indian context. Screenwriters generally produce original scripts, but due to financial uncertainty and insecurity over the success of a film many were rejected.Screenwriters themselves have been criticised for lack of creativity which happened due to tight schedules and restricted funds in the industry to employ better screenwriters.Certain filmmakers see plagiarism in Bollywood as an integral part of globalisation where American and western cultures are firmly embedding themselves into Indian culture, which is manifested, amongst other mediums, in Bollywood films.Vikram Bhatt, director of films such asRaaz, a remake ofWhat Lies Beneath, andKasoor, a remake ofJagged Edge, has spoken about the strong influence of American culture and desire to produce box office hits based along the same lines in Bollywood, "Financially, I would be more secure knowing that a particular piece of work has already done well at the box office. Copying is endemic everywhere in India. Our TV shows are adaptations of American programmes. We want their films, their cars, their planes, their diet cokes and also their attitude. The American way of life is creeping into our culture."Mahesh Bhatthas said ,"If you hide the source, you're a genius. There's no such thing as originality in the creative sphere".
There have been very few cases of film copyright violations taken to court because of serious delays in the legal process, and due to the long time they take to decide a case.There have been some notable cases of conflict though. The makers ofPartner(2007) andZinda(2005) have been targeted by the owners and distributors of the original films,HitchandOldboy.American StudioTwentieth Century Foxbrought the Mumbai-based B.R. Films to court over its forthcomingBanda Yeh Bindaas Hai, allegedly an illegal remake of its 1992 filmMy Cousin Vinny. B.R. Films eventually settled out of court by paying the studio at a cost of about $200,000, paving the way for the film's release.Some on the other hand do comply with copyright law, withOrion Picturesrecently securing the rights to remake the Hollywood filmWedding Crashers.