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Are you the kind of woman who watches Bollywood films like it’s your – very entertaining – job? Or is “Slumdog Millionaire” your only exposure to Indian cinema, or even your only exposure to Indian culture? If you answer, “Yes,” to the latter, you aren’t alone. That Academy-Award-winning film inspired America’s growing curiosity about India and its dominant film industry, Bollywood.
Now, before you go on your quest for colorful dance sequences and good old-fashioned love stories, here are a couple misconceptions that need to be debunked about Bollywood.
Bollywood is a major – and perhaps the most successful and internationally known – film industry in India, but it is certainly not the only one. It is a common synecdoche used to reference to the entire entertainment industry, but keep in mind that many states in India have their own film industries, which reflect their unique traditions and languages. It may not be easy to recognize the cultural diversity within India films, but it’s there!
India also features different film corporations known Mollywood (Malayalam film), Tollywood (Telugu film) and Kollywood (Tamil film). Each of these industries are filmed in the specific language of the region. Bollywood is often mistaken as the only film industry in India simply because the films are in Hindi, India’s national language.
As Bollywood lovers have probably realized, the vast majority of Bollywood films are musicals. They have earned their wild popularity from their use of extravagant sets, costumes and dance sequences. Recently, however, many movies in the industry have moved past dance or song sequences and instead focus on film technique and style. You may only know Bollywood for its entertainment factor, but it is moving toward producing pieces of cinematic art as well.
Nope, nope, nope! Just as Hollywood produces a variety of films – such as political thrillers, horrors, feminist films and comedies – Bollywood offers other genres besides the romance. For example, “Kahaani” is a 2012 mystery/thriller about a woman who investigates the death of her husband. Despite being eight months pregnant, the woman consistently puts herself in the crosshairs of dangerous men. These themes of motherhood and feminism led to the film becoming an instant box office hit.
Similarly, movies like “Saat Khoon Maaf,” “Fashion” and “English Vinglish” all star female protagonists, and have gained critical acclaim since their releases. While the struggle for female representation is still a major issue in the industry, movies like these prove that Bollywood don’t only produce love stories and one-sided gender roles.
Women like Aishwarya Rai entranced those who weren’t privy to Indian culture and Indian cinema. Her fair skin and green eyes stood in stark contrast to typical conceptions of Indian women. “They don’t even look Indian. Are they from somewhere else?” many Americans asked while watching Bollywood’s wheat-colored, blue-eyed leading women prance across their screens.
In reality, though, almost all of the Bollywood industry is made up of Indians. India is a country of many diverse ethnicities blended together, so it’s not an anomaly to see blue eyes, red hair or even white skin in the leading role.
However, women that look like Aishwarya Rai are often hand-picked by an industry known to favor lighter skin tones. While the casting female actresses of darker skin has improved somewhat in recent years, there is still a long way to go to reach a truly diverse industry.
Part of what makes Bollywood unique is its grandiosity. From the stellar cinematography to the attire to the scenery, every detail is perfected to create visual art. In fact, these films act as a beautiful reflection of a colorful and chaotic India. However, the industry offers much more than song and dance. If you want to dabble in international film, try watching the very well-known Bollywood film, “3 Idiots.” A critical hit that had a cultural impact, this film brings truth to the notion that inspirational, well-shot stories can come from anywhere.
