Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Bollywood Cinema
I have never been able to understand Bollywood movies. All the movies have the same sorts of narrative and i must say very predictable. But this is not what bothers me most, perhaps Bollywood has gained a reputation for its unique style in terms of having at least five or six songs and dancing scenes in each movie. But in my opinion this unique style kills the essence of movies. In today's world we listen to music almost everywhere we go, at home, at work, uni, shopping mall, and supermarkets and etc...sometimes this easy access to music gets too much and we need to escape to a place that does not just make us listen to songs and that place is cinema where you use the film to escape from your own world if not the real world. But unfortunately having songs played in a movie brings you back to the world that you just tried to escape from.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I totally agree with you about not understanding Bollywood films; even though I am of Indian ethnicity; who grew up with Bollywood films frequently watched by my parents on most weekends. I think this is where understanding of the Indian culture and way of life comes in. To understand these films and their significance you have to understand the culture that they are made in.
Bollywood films allow its audience to escape from their lives – after all if I were living in a highly polluted third world country, Id take any means to escape from it. The songs and dance sequences merely work to enhance the fantasy world that the characters within the movie live in. I think the popularity of Bollywood films within India are not simply owed to their cinematography, soundtrack or narrative but rather because they offer the audience the simple act of escaping from the reality that is the harsh world that many of them live in. When I was in India a couple of years ago, my host told me that no matter how poverty stricken a person lived in within Mumbai, they always managed to scrounge up just enough money to have the ability to see the latest Bollywood film at the cinema.
Looking back to when I was younger, Bollywood films really use to frustrate me. I couldn’t understand how anyone could find these films the least bit entertaining with their unrealistic narratives/acting as well as the overuse of song and dance numbers (especially how the characters would just break out in songs and then suddenly be whisked away to scenic destinations like Switzerland or somewhere on the other side of the world from India…) and I think it took my trip to India to realize the real significance of Bollywood films to the Indian culture and life.
Vanisha
XVX, thanks for the useful comment. I agree with everything you've said although i think that even indian people themselves are aware of the lack of authenticity in the bollywood movies. I mean if i tell them that i don't watch bollywood movies because of this and that, they would totally understand what i am talking about. I have indian friends who are crazy about bollywood movies and they watch them for the same reason you just mentioned but they still laugh at the unrealistic acting and everything else, however they enjoy them very much, which i guess is the main point. But yeah I totally agree with you.thanx
Yeah I can see where your coming from, in terms of the whole “music everywhere” type thing, and I agree that it really is everywhere – but is it necessary a bad thing? Especially with Bollywood movies, I mean, isn’t Bollywood movies all about showing the Indian culture through art, music and colours? Think of something like Grease. It’s a musical and it is a great movie, but with Bollywood it’s the colours, the lively actions, the expressions of the actors and of course the vibrancy of the music that makes it ‘Bollywood’. If you weren’t interested in the whole music of Bollywood – would you still watch a Bollywood movie? I’m sure the answer is different with everyone, but a while ago my sisters and I watched “Bride and Prejudice” where “Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice gets a Bollywood makeover.” Surely by the advertising you would know it is a Bollywood movie, and I hadn’t seen one before, so I went and saw it and it was different. You’ve mentioned that having songs played in a movie takes you back to the world that you tried to escape from – I disagree. I mean if you see a non- Bollywood move you will hear the same type songs played depending on the genre of movie. To me Bollywood gives you a completely different taste of cultural music that you hardly ever get. I mean, I could not just watch Bollywood movies for the rest of my life, but every now and again is fine. Change of actors, settings, plotlines and music is what adds to Bollywood being Bollywood - Something known for its difference. I do understand what you saying, but for me personally, Bollywood is a fresh change.
"Bollywood films allow its audience to escape from their lives – after all if I were living in a highly polluted third world country, Id take any means to escape from it."
Is this not the role of all movies? To engage the viewer and immerse them, like a good book. What about the Indians who still watch Bollywood cinema in New Zealand, what are they escaping from?
I don't really like that whole idea of escapism being directed just at Bollywood and a third world country. I know my Indian friends would not agree that while they were in Mumbai they saw movies to escape, they really love Mumbai and always want to go back. I don't think there are such implicit meanings behind enjoying cinema entertainment in India, especially when we all engage in escapist forms of media.
The whole idea of Bollywood being escapist is a very common theory/argument.
I personally think Bollywood is getting more "real" and truer to life, rather than pure fantasy.
Post a Comment