CHAPTER- 3

HINDI CINEMA IN 21ST CENTURY

3.1 The Contemporary period of Hindi Cinema

Each one of us today is aware of the terms, ‗Cinema‟,

„Bollywood‟, „Films‟, „Actors‟, „Movies‟ etc.So deep rooted are

these terms in our society that even a five year old kid could

explain you the meanings of the same. Films have by far

become one of the most popular medium of mass

communication and one of the biggest revenue earners for the

country. This Journey began on July 7, 1896, when Lumiere

brothers of France organized a show of their short films like

‗The sea bath‟, „The arrival of a train‟ and „Ladies Soldiers on

wheels‟ in Watson Hotel of Bombay. This event was described

aptly by the Times of India as, “Magic of the Century” and has

truly left the Indians hooked. The production, narration,

technology, characters, advertising, exhibition and even the

purpose of cinema changed yet the cinema remained. The

Hindi cinema has crossed over many paths and bridges to

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reach where it stands today. The contemporary period of

Hindi cinema depicts the time frame from the late 1990s to

the present 21st century. The word ‗contemporary‘ literally

means living or occurring in the present; modern or current.

As is apparent even to a layman‘s eyes the film industry has

drastically changed from the 1980s-1990s to now.1 The film

industry is now much more capitalized and regulated, the

process of film production has become professionalized and

rationalized as never before, filmmaking is now incorporating

a lot of high-end technology, there is greater division of labor

and the modes of movie distribution and exhibition have been

drastically altered. Nowadays, the film business is more

closely integrated with other sectors of the entertainment

industry and the nature of the film audience has also changed

dramatically. Not only has the modes of manufacture of films

changed but the narrative style and the script of the movies

have become more in tune with the present day demands and

aspirations. Let‘s take the case of Anurag Kashyap‘s

adaptation of Devdas in Dev-D (2009) which in itself depicts

the radical alteration in the films of now and then. The new
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Devdas is shown to have moved forward and carried on with

his life with Chandramukhi while the old one is shown to have

drowned in alcohol and dying at the altar of his beloved paro.

The new adaptation matches more suitably to the

contemporary times and provides a peek into the thinking and

changing ideologies of the times.

PERCEPTIONS ABOUT CINEMA: NOW AND THEN

It is a universal truth that cinema is a powerful reflector of

society. It mirrors the transformations, cultural tensions and

new trends that are surfacing in society in interesting ways. In

short, cinema captures the essence of life itself. As the Cinema

is changing so is the perception about cinema.2 A look at the

history of the nation will reveal that when the films entered

the nation not all were happy and rejoicing in the art form,

there were many who looked upon it as a social evil capable of

destroying young minds and corrupting them. Even, the father

of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi (bapu) viewed cinema as a

corrupting influence, and could not envisage a role for it in the

construction of a swadeshi culture.3 In the modern day India

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there would be very few who would shun cinema and label it

as a social evil. On the other hand, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

recognized the potential of cinema from the very beginning

itself and wanted to use the medium in a way which benefits

the society. In a personal communication dispatched to the

organizers of the first Indian motion picture congress in

Bombay in 1939, he asserted:

I am far from satisfied at the quality of work that has been

done. Motion pictures have become an essential part of

modern life and they can be used with greater advantage for

educational purposes… so far greater stress has been laid on

a type of film, which presumably is supposed to be

entertaining, but the standard or quality of which is not high.

I hope that the industry will consider now in terms of

meeting the standards and of aiming at producing high-class

films that have educational and social values. Such films

should receive the cooperation and not only of the public but

also of the state4

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Thus, there were two ways in which the nationalist leadership

approached cinema. First, as ‗low art‘ which aimed to provide

vulgar entertainment to the masses and second as a mode of

mass communication which can be used for instilling and

propagating good values among the people. The vision of

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru held ground for quite some time and

during those early days the purpose of cinema was not

entertainment but education and value building. Nitin Bose,

an Indian film director, cinematographer and

screenwriter active during the years from 1930-60s in an

interview in Cinema Vision India, Volume 1, Number 2, April

1980 Says :

“When we directed films, we tried to make pictures with

messages that would wake people up, rouse them. They could

see themselves in our pictures. Just entertainment had no

value, in fact, the word „entertainment‟ was not used. Debaki

Bose, Charu Roy, Prafulla Roy, P.C. Barua, lat Bimal Roy,

Hem Chander… all of us felt this way.”

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This outlook is strikingly different from the modern times

wherein the mantra of success for a film was accurately

summed up by Vidya Balan in her 2011 blockbuster, The Dirty

Picture, wherein she comments, ―A film becomes a hit only

because of three reasons….Entertainment, entertainment and

entertainment”. This change in the way movies were being

watched and perceived was not effected in a single day but

gradually began from the 1990s.5

THE BEGINNING OF THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD

The beginning of contemporary period is not certain and

cannot be defined precisely But the decade of 1990s can fairly

be said to be the time from where it all started. The 1990s gave

a string of crude comedies like Raja babu (1994),

dulara (1994), hero No. 1 (1997), coolie no. 1 (1995), sajan

chale sasural (1996) and many more from Govinda- David

Dhawan camp. In the decade of 90s the trend of middle class

cinema which started from the late 1980s was carried forward

by films like Lekin (1990 and Rudali (1993).6 This decade was

also dominated by love stories and Realism which appeared in

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bits and pieces. It was not the crude realism of serious and

non commercial cinema but a soft realism influenced by real

life with a touch of fancy and imagination. This decade also

brought some innovative trends like the trend of films based

on anti-hero or negative hero as a central character such as

Baazigar (1993), Dar (1993) and Khalnayak (1993). It was

also a decade which witnessed the emergence of star-sons like

Sanjay Dutt, Kumar Gaurav and sunny deol and star-

daughters like kajol, karishma kapoor, karina kapoor, Esha

Deol and soha ali khan as joining the Bollywood race. The

development of 1990s was shaped by important factors such

as Urbanization and the rise of the growing middle classes

both of which have been crucially important in facilitating the

creation of New Bollywood.

Thus we see that the popular films of the 1990s were often

masalafilms, with a blend of many ingredients: broad comedy,

improbable action, uncomplicated romance, and copious

amount of melodrama. The broad story line would include the

following phases: After the heroes traverse the plots full of

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coincidence, sit through at least one item number performed

by special guest star Helen, and have some dishoom –

dishoom with a henchman or five, traditional family values

would be upheld, greed and dishonor would be punished by

legitimate authority figures, and the world would be set right.

It was from the 1990s itself that more emphasis was being

given to the commercial and entertainment value of a film and

less to its moral and ethical message. In this background the

decade of 2000 began with the contemporary versions of old

classics such as lagan (2001) and devdas (2002), both of

which went on to become huge hits. The film lagan was also

India's official entry to the 2002 Oscars. The beginning of the

21st century also brought with itself the first cycle of biopics in

the Indian film culture which was mostly based on a revival of

the historical genre. A biographical film, or biopic is a film

that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. Until the

early 2000s, there were very few biopics in mainstream Hindi

cinema except probably the 1982 Indo-British co-production

about the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi, titled Gandhi

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(1982). Even in the 21st century, the trend was continued and

these type of films were mostly about national leaders

including Ashoka (2001), Bhagat Singh, an anti-colonial

revolutionary whose story featured in the 2006 hit Rang de

basanti; Mangal Pandey, a semi-legendary hero of the 1857

uprisings, featured in TheRising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey

(2005) and the great mughal, Akbar, who was the subject of

Jodha Akbar (2008). The 21st century also saw the production

of sequels i.e the continuation of the previous films such as

Krishh (2006), Phir Hera pheri (2006), Lagey raho munna

bhai (2006, Don (2006) and Umrao jaan (2006). This was a

time of experimentation with various subjects and innovation,

people no longer wanted to watch movies with the same story

line, thus the filmmakers arrayed diverse movies such as

social films like Baghban (2003), love stories like Veer Zaara

(2004), patriotic films such as Rang de Basanti (2006),

Mangal Pandey (22005), Swades (2004); thrillers such as

Murder (2004) and comedy like Bunty aur Bubbly (2005). it

was also a time when Literary masterpieces such as Pinjar

(2003), Parineeta (2005), and omkara (2006) graced the

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celluloid. The time was also ripe for Technological

advancement. This was just the beginning of the

contemporary period of Hindi cinema and Hindi cinema was

achieving new heights of excellence, the varied movies has

proven that hindi cinema is now mature enough and has

learnt to take risks. With the films like Tare Zameen Par

(2007) and Chak de India (2007) which contains no heroine,

no romance, no sex, no violence and yet they have become

blockbusters, the success itself is testimony to the fact that the

Indian audience has changed and so is the Indian filmmaking

process.7

IN TO THE CONTEMPORARY ERA

As the times further progressed, we realize that the

Contemporary films have a better variety to offer. There is

something for everyone. If one wants to enter into a dream

like sequence with happy endings and a lot of glamour and

grandeur one can always opt for the lively films made by

Sooraj Barjatya, Aditya Chopra, and Karan Johar which

represent candy floss entertainment at its best. If one wants to

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relive the good old days, one can opt for period films set in the

retro era such as Barfi (2012), Once Upon A Time In Mumbai

(2010) and The Dirty Picture (2011). Other movies set in the

1980s are Special 26 (2013),Himmatwala (2013) and

Shootout At Wadala (2013) If one is interested in historical

dramas with special focus on costumes of the time one can go

ahead with movies such as Veer (2010) and Jodhaa Akbar

(2008)

The inclination towards remakes and biopics still remain a

popular choice for several makers, but the biopics have shifted

their concentration from the freedom fighters to the people

who have achieved success in a particular field like business or

entertainment or sports, some examples of the same can be

Guru (2007), Paan Singh Tomar (2012), Bhaag Milkha

Bhaag (2013) and Mary Kom (2014). The one issue with

biopics has been that they are often looked upon by the

mainstream audiences as ‗Documentary‘ movies and thus

devoid of any entertainment value. Tigmanshu Dhulia, who

directed the biopic on the runner turned bandit Paan Singh

Tomar (2012) also pointed out that audiences would think

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that a biopic without stars would be classed as a

‗documentary‘. All this shows the dynamism and vitality of the

Indian cinema and its tremendous capacity to keep abreast of

changes. It is because of these features that the Indian cinema

influences the dominant urban culture in more ways than one.

It exercises its influence on all other art forms such as

television, theatre, advertising, music, information

technology, journalism, architecture, fashion and even the

profiles of goddesses on calendars and in Puja pandals.

THE MULTIPLEX CULTURE

In the contemporary period of Hindi Cinema there has been a

recent transition to multiplex exhibition of films. The

multiplex theater is an exhibition space designed for multiple

screenings. India‘s first multiplex, opened in New Delhi in

1997 and from then on the Multiplex sector in India has seen

phenomenal growth especially over the last few years. The

advent of Multiplexes has been like a hard blow to the single

screens. The Multiplexes which generally open inside big

Shopping malls seek a middle class audience primarily located

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in urban areas. India‘s multiplex screens are forecast to

number more than 2,200 by 2016, according to the 2012

media and entertainment report by the Federation of Indian

Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) lobby group

and consultancy KPMG. Multiplexes are also garnering a

higher share of exhibition revenues from films, compared to

standalone theatres. In 2010, multiplexes accounted for 21 per

cent of film exhibition revenues while in 2011, they accounted

for more than 30 per cent. As the multiplexes are entering

deeper into smaller towns, it seems the single screens are

losing the battle. With the rising young population, more and

more people are attracted towards the multiplexes. The movie

exhibition business is expected to rise to Rs 10,800 crore by

2016, increasing 9.5 per cent in the last five years.

In the face of threats from Television and Internet, the

Multiplexes have essentially been a key player in

reinvigorating the theatrical market. The movie viewing

experience in a multiplex has added a new dimension to urban

leisure. Watching a movie in a multiplex located almost always

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in the middle of a shopping mall and in its lavish surroundings

has altered the way in which people view movies. It has given

both a social and economic push to the Movie watching

market. In the coming times, Multiplexes are more likely to

succeed than the single screens.8

Figure 14 : Snapshot of PVR Cinemas, one of the

biggest Multiplex chains in India [Source: Internet]

THE AUDIENCE OF THE CONTEMPORARY ERA

The audience of the contemporary period has become more

mature and adventurous, he is no longer satisfied with one

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story being presented in novel ways, the need for different

issues, angles and narratives has grown. The audience now

looks for a combination of genres in a film, movies with a good

script and an entertainment value is appreciated, for instance

the best example can be 3 Idiots (2009) which was a

blockbuster. The movie had everything be it comedy,

friendship, romance or a social message all of which were

blended in a way to create the perfect mix of a Hindi

Blockbuster. The Audience profile has also diversified in the

contemporary period, with a growing middle class population

and an increase in the young populace, these people have

become the main targets of the filmmakers; apart from them

Western audiences, film research scholars and film critics also

have started to take a keen interest in Bollywood. After the

year 2001 when Bollywood was accorded the legal status of an

industry under the Industria Disputes Act of 1947in India,

things changed further. This meant that the film industry

which was earlier privately funded could now be funded by

national banks. Not only had this been beneficial to Bollywood

in terms of fund raising but had also increased its stature

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manifold. Films and movies are unarguably one of the most

powerful medium to put an idea across. With the growing

viewership this medium has become all the more potent.

According to one global consulting firm, by 2025 the middle

class in India will comprise more than 40% of the population

and it is this middle class which are the target audience for

most of the filmmakers. The contemporary hindi cinema has

become a reflection of the desires and aspirations of the

growing middle class. This class is spending and is willing to

spend more and more on entertainment and leisure. As per

the International Goldman sachs report of October 2003,

which states that over the next 50 years, four countries –

Brazil, Russia, India and China (the BRIC economies)- will

become key players in the world marketplace. ‗India could

emerge as the World‘s third largest economy and of these four

countries; it has the potential to show the fastest growth over

the next 30 to 50 years‘, the report states. Rising incomes may

also see these economies move through the sweet spot of

growth for different kinds of products, as local spending

patterns change. It goes on to predict that the ‗Indian

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entertainment industry would significantly benefit from the

fast economic growth as this cyclically sensitive industry

grows faster when the economy is expanding‟. Since the

opening up of the economy in the early 1990s, the boundaries

of Bollywood cinema are getting blurred. Never before has

there been such a worldwide awakening towards Bollywood

cinema and cross fertilization of film ideas and talent from the

subcontinent. In effect, mainstream hindi filmmakers are

beginning to realize that it is possible to intelligently design

films which can prove profitable both for the Domestic and

the overseas market.

Thus, Hindi Cinema has become a global entertainment power

with lots of help from the extensive media coverage and the

thriving online celebrity culture. The only blot in the current

progressing scenario is the piracy and counterfeiting of films.

With the growing access to internet and ever expanding reach

of technology, it is very convenient to find duplicate and

pirated copies of the films which can affect the movie industry.

But as one writer puts it, ―the coming of Camera pictures are

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no threat for the Paintings‖ similarly, the film culture is so

engrained in India that it is unlikely to affect the audiences

from reaching the theatres to watch a film, but can slower

down the progress.

THE EFFECT OF TELEVISION AND RADIO ON THE

CONTEMPORARY HINDI CINEMA

The fact that almost half the population in India owns a

television set and 90% of them own a cable connection cannot

be disputed. Television has in recent times become the biggest

driver of entertainment in India. The Indian populace gets

access to cable connection via three means: Direct Satellite,

Terrestrial channels and Direct to Home services. The face of

Television has undergone a sea change from the 1980s; it has

come a long way from the monopoly of the state-run

Doordarshan to the extensive choices offered by the private

channels. These private channels aim at luring the viewers by

whichever way possible. It is these channels which have been

acting as a catalyst for film marketing and promotion. We can

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easily find Film actors and celebrities appearing as guests in

TV Talk shows and Serials for the promotion of their films, not

only this but nowadays even news and music channels run a

segment on recent films and provide movie reviews. All this

has added a new dimension for the advertising of the film and

creating a buzzword for the same has become easier. As we say

‗Finance is the lifeblood of a business‘ the same adage for the

film industry would go something like this, ‗publicity is the life

blood of the film industry‘. In the movie world, Good or bad,

any kind of publicity is desirable, it is like oxygen, it keeps you

in the limelight and ensures longevity of your career and

Television has become one of the primary sources from where

you can seek publicity. As is the case with television the

monopoly of the government broadcaster, All India Radio has

been shattered by the coming of private FM radio stations.

These FM radio stations have become quite popular among

the youth in a very short span of time and you can easily

observe people playing FM in their cars and buses while

travelling. The popularity of these mediums has added new

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vistas for the Marketing and advertising of a film which seems

to be growing in the near future.

We can thus conclusively say that that the contemporary

period of Hindi cinema has changed a lot of things and has

brought in a lot of changes. Bollywood has now come a long

way from ‗Wannabe Hollywood‘ to a major competitor and a

force to be reckoned with. So dramatic have been Bollywood‘s

journey that it is hard to predict any conclusive turn towards

which the Hindi cinema may turn but one thing can be said for

sure, the ride would be an entertaining one.

3.2 Hindi Cinema and Our Society

The impact of Hindi cinema on society has been recognized

from the very beginning of cinema itself. For instance the

Editorial Board of Sudha (A movie magazine) had, in its first

issue of 1927 voiced this concern when it studied the impact of

cinema on Indian youth and had recommended strict control

over films that were corrupting young minds:

„The bioscope-cinema tamasha is becoming very popular in

India. We have seen ourselves that in Benares, children aged

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eight to ten years- who cannot get good education but can

easily acquire bad habits- buy two anna tickets and watch

cinema daily. We have even seen that because of this

habit…….students of Sanskrit are selling lemonade soda

inside….in this situation it is imperative for the government

to exercise control over cinema”

In a 1963 report for the United Nations Educational, Scientific

and Cultural Organization looking at Indian Cinema and

culture, the author (Baldoon Dhingra) quoted a speech by

Prime Minister Nehru who stated, “..the influence in India of

films is greater than newspapers and books combined.”

Furthermore, the fact that we have a statutory body, Central

Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with its vision being, ‗To

ensure good and healthy entertainment in accordance with

the provisions of the Cinematograph Act 1952 and the

Cinematograph (Certification) Rules 1983., is testimony to

the undeniable fact that cinema has crept into our lives so

much and has had such a profound impact that if not

regulated, it can create havoc.

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Also, The apex Court of the country (Supreme Court) in a 1989

judgment dwelling on the question that why is it necessary to

obtain film certificate before its public exhibition has went on

to say that, ‗ A film motivates thought and action and assures

a high degree of attention and retention as compared to the

printed words. The combination of act and speech, sight and

sound in semi-darkness of the theatre with elimination of all

distracting ideas will have a strong impact on the minds of

the viewers and can affect emotions. Therefore, it has as

much potential for evil as it has for good and has an equal

potential to instill or cultivate violent or good behavior. It

cannot be equated with other modes of

communication. Certification by prior restraint is, therefore,

not only desirable but also necessary‟

The recognition that Bollywood has the power to impact

society has dawned on us from the early days itself, but people

have different notions on how to use this piece of information.

For Instance, Gandhi says that films can corrupt young minds

and should be shunned while Nehru was of the view that they

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can be used for education purposes. In the modern day

context, films have obtained a cult status; they have entered

into every part of our lives, and have even hijacked our

imagination. The present section deals with the impact of

Hindi cinema on various sectors of society such as impact on

Children, youth and the general populace; impact on culture;

impact on fashion and music; impact on television and other

areas of life where films have entered.

Impact of films on children

Children are the young minds of a nation and its future

citizens on whose shoulders rest the responsibility to shape

the future of the country. These young minds are the most

vulnerable and susceptible to influence of cinema. Children

are immature and ape what their favorite actors do, we have

heard many stories of children being influenced by

superheroes such as Krishh and Shaktiman and committing

fatal acts. Not only kids harm themselves but can also harm

others, for instance many a times kids commit heinous crimes

as learnt in the movies. Apart from major impact such as the

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above, minor influence such as on the language, behavior etc.

can always be found. Nowadays, parents allow kids to watch

Films as it gives them a little breathing space, but it can make

a huge effect in a child‘s mental development. If regulated

Films can teach children many skills in an easy and enjoyable

manner such as language skills, moral values, difference

between right and wrong, it can act as a social tool which can

help to prepare the child for the big bad world. On the other

hand, there is conclusive evidence that films for young

children have become significantly more violent in recent

years and are contributing in inculcating negative values in

the children.9

For children movies can be a portal which can nourish their

imagination, take them to places they have never been, make

them understand different facets of human behavior, different

cultures, and the value of money and make them appreciate

whatever they have yet at the same time it can also have

negative impact on their young minds. Nowadays the movies

contain explicit sexual scenes which can result in premature

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sexual awareness, crude language and violence can instill the

same in them. All in all the extent to which cinema can affect

the children depends heavily on the parents who can regulate

what their kids watch.

Figure 15 : Picture depicting the impact of movie

Krishh on Children [Source: Internet]
Impact of films on the Youth
This is the segment most powerfully affected by the movies;

youth mimics the language in the movies, the clothes and even

the food. The movies shape the ideology with which the youth

abides by, one of the surest ways to put an idea across their

minds is through films. This is the power of films on the

youth. In this day and age, films have increased showcase and

even glorification of violence, premature and adulterous

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sexual behavior is no longer a sin and the characters in Hindi

movies are more often than not larger than life itself,

imprinting on the young minds the image to ‗make it big‘ as

getting rich, having flashy cars and going on exotic holidays.

Achal Bhagat, a New Delhi psychiatrist who runs a counseling

center for troubled youth, offered the following explanation

for increasing youth crime rate:

―In a world where cutthroat competition begins from

Kindergarten and the concept of having „made it‟ is defined

by TV and films images of the rich and famous, most children

today prowl tirelessly for a better deal that will free them

from the restraints that their parents faced. Ambitions soar

and images of making it big (cars, exotic holidays) constantly

play on the mind. But when failure strikes, most can‟t handle

it. A squeeze in the job market and the general lack of

opportunities frustrate them. And soon the tremendous

pressure to succeed builds up anger.”

Not only the growing crime rate be attributed indirectly to

films, but also the acceptance of promiscuous behavior and

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vulgarity in the language a gift from the Hindi Cinema. Indian

film actress Deepti Naval said that ―vulgarity in Hindi songs

today shows that filmmakers take the audience to be buffoons

and even a little retarded. I call today‘s age as the ‗Pelvic age‘

where hero and heroine simply gyrate to the music‖. The

Hindi film industry is heavily influenced by the Western films

and as such the influence of western culture can be traced

from the attitudes and behavior of young adults. This varies

from food habits to sexual orientation. In 2002, 2004, and

again in 2005 the US Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention named tobacco in the movies a major factor in

teen smoking. The research explains that non-smoking teens

whose favorite stars frequently smoke on screen are sixteen

times more likely to have positive attitudes about smoking in

the future. Equally important, exposure to smoking in the

movies quadrupled the chance that non-smokers‘ kids would

start. As per the Indian law, India enacted a legislation called

―Cigarette and other tobacco products Act 2003‖ which

specifically called for an end to direct and indirect form of

tobacco advertisements as such advertisements encourage

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youth to smoke tobacco. This legislation is an indication of the

fact that the Indian legislature is not blind to the affect of

tobacco and drugs on screen. As we have seen that Bollywood

has an effect on almost every part of our lives, so how can our

thinking, ideologies remain unaffected. The Hindi films affect

the nation‘s moral fabrics. Ten years back, Live-in

relationships would not have been tolerated by the society but

today the same is acceptable, although not wholeheartedly;

earlier alcohol and smoking was considered to be a sin but

today it has gained acceptance as a choice, although people are

still discouraged from doing the same citing health reasons.

We see that the society has become more tolerant and western

ideas have gained acceptance, West is no longer depicted as

evil in the movies. Nowadays, a typical Indian movie will

contain group dancing with music set to foreign arabic/urdu

lyrics while semi clad girls gyrate as pole dancers in bar scenes

watched by the leading actor playing the role of a drunkard or

contract killer. This has had the negative impact of increasing

violence in the country. But it would be wrong to see only the

negative impact of the movies on the youth, as is rightly said,

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there are always two sides to a coin, similarly the films can

inspire the youth to do something worthwhile, there are films

such as Baghban (2003) which can instill family values in an

individual;, other inspiring movies can be Rang de Basanti

(2006) and Nayak (2001) which motivate us to fight against

corruption.

Impact of films on Fashion and Culture of a Nation

One look at the recent movies will tell us that however far

Bollywood has reached, however modern it may become, there

will always be depiction of the Indian Culture in the Hindi

movies.10Taking some recent releases, we observe that

themovie Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram-leela (2013) portrays the

Gujarati culture from outfits to languages to food; Bengali

culture was portrayed in Gunday (2014) and Bullett Raja

(2013) and Lucknowi culture in Dedh Ishqiya (2014).

Bollywood films have always been a huge part of Indian

culture. These films traditionally feature different aspects of

India, its culture, and religion. Although, Bollywood films and

music have become more westernized in the recent years yet

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the fact that movies are a great reflector of the culture in a

country still stands true. These movies play a role in

constructing a global identity for our nation.

Not only this, the film industry is the backbone for the fashion

industry. The clothes worn by lead protagonists of hit movies

are immediately manufactured and sold. Even the fashion

designers design clothes keeping Bollywood as a benchmark,

there is no denying the fact that people in India are largely

influenced by the style and glamour of the stars and we can

always listen to the shopkeepers saying, ―Mam, this is the sari

which was worn by Katrina Kaif in so and so movie or award

night‖. Another example can be the trademark Salman Khan

Bracelet with Blue stone and Chains which has become an

instant hit among the boys and can be seen on the hands of

many young boys. Many such other examples can be easily

found. In short, the Hindi Cinema is responsible for the way

people dress across the country and also for the way Indian

culture is reflected globally.

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Impact of films on Television

The social impact of the cinema in India is also seen in the

nationwide popularity of film-based programs on various

television channels. We can always hear popular songs from

the films playing in the background music in serials. This

further goes on to show that films have gone very deep into

the Indian collective memory and conscience. The small

screen and big screen have become complementary to each

other, with the recent increase in the small screen stars

making big in the movies, for instance Sushant Singh Rajput

who started his career with Television serials such as Kis Desh

Mein Hai Meraa Dil and Pavitra Rishta can now be seen as

lead in movies such as Kai Po Che! (2013) and Shuddh Desi

Romance(2013). Another such example is Prachi Desai who

began her career with TV serial KasamhSeand went on to do

several movies, the latest being a cameo performance in the

movie Ek Villain (2014).

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3.3 The Reach of Hindi Cinema

“One of the reasons that IIFA is happening in the US is

because there is awareness about Indian cinema, which is

popularly identified here (in the US) as Bollywood, People

here are now more aware of what Indian cinema is than

before. They also know the reach of Indian cinema. They

know how in one stroke so many eyeballs are going to watch

the IIFA.”- Anil Kapoor (Actor)

The 15th International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA)

ceremony, presented by the International Indian Film

Academy was held between April 23–26, 2014 at Raymond

James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, in the United States. This

fact alone is evident of how far the Indian Cinema has reached

and how powerful it has become in the Global entertainment

sector. In a span of little more than half-a-century Bollywood

has secured international recognition and in essence has

become the prism through which the rest of the world sees

and in many ways experiences the Indian nation, society,

culture, and its people.11With the coming of New Economic

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Policy i.e Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization policy

(LPG) in 1991, it opened up the global market for Indian

cinema; this in turn helped in the development of Bollywood

as a global brand. The opening up of the overseas market and

the explosion of multiplexes in big cities led to the wider box

office successes of films in India and abroad. Producers

became concerned with creating a movie which would do well

internationally and not just locally. They started to give

Bollywood flicks a western look by importing of western actors

in Indian movies, such as Rachel Shelley in Lagaan. Indian

movies was now being made keeping in mind the NRIs and

some of the biggest hits portray their lives such as DDLJ. In

terms of capital, star quality and technology, Bollywood

cinema is now competing on the international market. The

Indian film industry is projected to grow at a CAGR

(Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 10.1 percent to touch INR

150 Billion in 2016. The Indian cinema has reached a long way

from its humble beginnings. IN 1958 the film ―Mother India

was nominated for an Oscar, and its director, Mehboob Khan,

wanted to go to Los Angeles for the awards. In those time,

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India was short of foreign currency, and according to a book

about Bollywood by Mihir Bose, Mr Khan had to beg the

government for money for the trip, writing,

“I should be able to show that our government is also

backing me. Otherwise, I will look small and lonely.” It is

apparent that things have changed dramatically from there.12

The CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Reliance MediaWorks,

Mr. Anil Arjun says, ―Earlier, Indian film distribution in the

US used to be disorganized due to limited number of prints,

inadequate marketing and lack of screens but ‘3 Idiots' has

acted as a game changer and penetration has doubled with

BIG Cinemas reaching out Indian films to south Asian

audiences across US‖. Currently, prominent Hollywood

studios such as Fox Star Studios, Disney UTV, Viacom, Sony

and Warner Bros. have entered into Bollywood, the entry of

such international names confirm Bollywood's popularity and

its emergence as the new world market. Not, only has

Bollywood succeeded in reaching across the Globe but has also

succeeded in deeply penetrating the nation itself, with screens

opening in small towns and villages. Especially with the

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coming of Television the films have entered into every nook

and corner of the nation, even the low income earners can be

found to enjoy this luxury once in a while. The reach of Hindi

cinema has become Universal in the truest sense of the word.

Figure 16 : 15th International Indian Film Academy

Awards (IIFA) ceremony in US [Source: Internet]
3.4 Gender Reflections in Hindi Cinema
Representation of gender and gender roles in the mainstream

Hindi cinema has always been a matter of concern as such

depiction can shape the way gender is perceived in the society.

The Hindi film industry has been predominantly male

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dominated from the earlier days of cinema, propagating a

patriarch society with the patriarch as the head of the family

who cannot be defied and who has the rights to take all the

major decisions in the family. The girl has always been shown

to be meek or submissive and succumbing to family pressures.

Hindi Cinema has restricted itself to defined sketches of

womanhood. Women in Bollywood have been one-

dimensional characters, who are good or bad, white or black.

There are no shades of grey. The woman is either docile,

domestic, honorable, noble, ideal or she is the other extreme –

wayward, reckless and irresponsible. This dichotomy was

reinforced in popular films which distinguished between the

heroine and the vamp, the wife and the other woman.13Films

have also been inspired to a large extent from religion and

mythology whereby women characters were seen as the

epitome of virtue and values, those who could do no wrong. In

India an ideal wife has always been portrayed as loyal and

obedient to the husband, caring for the In-laws and sacrificing

her career for the family. In short, the Hindi cinema has

successfully institutionalized patriarchal values through the

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ages. Films like Dahej (1950), Gauri (1968), Devi (1970), Biwi

ho to Aisi (1988), Pati Parmeshwar (1988) has successfully

depicted women as passive, submissive wives and as perfect

figures and martyrs for their own families. In the earlier days

of Hindi cinema Women were largely treated as decorative

objects. For Instance in the film The River (1951) directed

by Jean Renoir and filmed in India, the protagonist explains

the arranged marriage of an Indian girl: ‗‗Then her father told

her that she must marry a man of his choice…..that‟s the

ancient custom.‟‟ In this film, Harriet, an English girl, talks

about how Indian parents are disappointed when they have a

girl baby because they need to get a dowry. Although times

have changed, the statement still stands partially true.

Similarly in the Movie City of Joy (1992) which depicts

poverty in then-modern India and the slum life in India, the

main Indian character, Hazari, says several times how

important a duty it is for a father to save money for his

daughter‘s dowry. Each phase of Hindi cinema had its own

representation of women, but they were confined largely to

the traditional, patriarchal frame-work of the Indian society. .

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The situation was slightly altered in the 1970s which was

known as the year of ‗New Wave cinema‘. The decades of 70s

and 80s did try to explore women's subjectivity, her familial

and civic role. But such films were not very successful in the

Box office. As the Women started to gain independence and

feminism gained strength in India- a series of women film

makers brought women from the margins to the centre of

their texts. A number of films were made by Aparna Sen, Sai

Paranjpye, Vijaya Mehta, Aruna Raje and Kalpana Lajmi -

which were sensitive portrayals of women and their struggles.

Apart from all this the mainstream Hindi cinema largely

concentrated on the depiction of Masculinity, which was

identified as having a muscular body with lots of physical

aggression. It is from the movies wherein we have obtained

the Phrase, ‗Mard ko kabhi Dard nahih Hota‟ which means

that a man feels no pain. Masculinity was portrayed in a way

which frowned upon men showing their emotions and

weeping was the department of only women who were

reflected as the weaker sex. The only place wherein the actress

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was given the upper hand was the glamour aspect which was

displayed with the heroine wearing different clothes hairstyles

and jewellery, all of which were craftly planned to gain a

commercial advantage.

The coming of the contemporary age has been a harbinger of

change for the representation of women in the Hindi cinema.

A few courageous filmmakers are conjuring female

protagonists whose stories deal with the traditionally deemed

taboo subjects such as Incest, lesbianism, sexual liberation,

toy boy, unwed motherhood and live-in. Some recent

examples can be, the depiction of lesbianism in Dedh Ishqiya

(2014), incestuous rape and child abuse in Highway (2014),

boy toy in Revolver Rani (2014) and small town girl entering

into a live-in relationship rather than in the socially acceptable

institution of marriage in Shuddh Desi Romance (2013).

Although, Cosmetic beauty and the trappings of affluence still

remain one of the most important aspects in the

contemporary Hindi Cinema. The item song culture prevalent

in the present times is an indication of objectification of

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women. But today Bollywood does not shy away from scripts

with strong female protagonists. The movies kahaani (2012),

The Dirty Picture (2011), No one Killed Jessica (2011) can all

but be a few examples. Also, there is growing awareness of

women‘s independence and a rising acceptance of modern

women not tied to the stereotypes of the society. Even the film

regulatory body, the Censor Board of India has adopted a

stern attitude on the depiction of violence against women in

films and their objectification in songs. With rising feminism

and independence of women, the stereotypical women of

Hindi cinema is likely to be vanished in the coming years to be

replaced by a more self-confident and independent version.

Figure 17 : Depiction of Mothers in mainstream

Bollywood over the years [Source: Internet]

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3.5 Indian Film Critics
Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the

film medium. In general, it can be divided into journalistic

criticism such as appears regularly in newspapers and other

popular mass-media outlets and academic criticism by film

scholars that is informed by film theory and published in

academic journals. The beginning of film criticism can be

traced back to the beginning of film news and columns as

regular features in newspapers, magazines and periodicals.

The 1920s brought with itself the need to publish magazines

exclusively devoted to cinema. The first among those to be

launched was the Gujrati magazine Mauj Majah (1924). In the

early days film criticism was viewed as a serious business. For

example, Lakshman Prasad Gargya, discussed the method of

Gajanand Sharma, a contemporary critic whose reviews,

Gargya suggested, helped shape viewer preferences.

„In the early days of talkies Gajanand Sharma, drew much

respect as a critic. It has been my experience that cinema

lovers decided to see a certain film only after they had read

Sharma‟s review in the Delhi periodicals „Chitrapat‟ and

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 „Movies‟. Sharma‟s style was as follows – He began with plot

description so that readers could understand the sequence of

events. This was followed by a description of the characters

and their roles in the film. Finally, Sharma focused on….the

technique of direction, acting etc. Sometimes Sharma also

made a funny comment about a certain character‟.

In an essay published in the chand of 1938, Gargya laid down

the principles for good film criticism. Gargya insisted that

good film criticism meant placing the least emphasis on plot

illustration and description of characters. What needed to be

attempted instead was a comparative evaluation of all aspects

of cinema. This was possible if a psychological approach was

adopted. Finally, identifying the reasons and the categories of

audiences who derived satisfaction in watching certain kinds

of films formed the last component of Gargya‘s enquiry.

Kamalkumar Sharma attempted a classification system for

Indian films by dividing them into 10 genres. These were:

1. Ballad Films

2. Play films and musical films

3. Cartoon films

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4. Comic films

5. Story films

6. Epic films

7. Church films

8. Art films

9. Jungle films and

10. Fantasy films

This standard of film criticism has gradually gone down in the

recent years. As pointed out by Adoor Gopalkrishnan, ―There

is hardly any good film criticism in India‖. He further points

out that the people who think they do critiques are hardly

equipped to do so, he suggests them to first equip themselves

and then only attempt to write a review. Trade analyst Amod

Mehra is also of the same view, he says. "Most of the current

lots are film buffs who are given fancy designations by their

employers. They aren't really qualified”. The weight attached

to film critics has also gone down as the box office collections

have remained largely impassive to such criticism. Filmmaker

Rakesh Roshan comments on the show Koffee with Karan, ―I

never read reviews. I call up my exhibitor in the morning and

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ask him about audience reactions. Which songs did they walk

out in? When did they clap? That's my feedback‖, Jaya

Bachchan had bristled, "Are there any?" when Karan Johar

asked her in the rapid-fire round to respond to 'film

critics'. Such comment goes on to show how little significance

is attached to film criticism.14

Nowadays, it‘s not a big deal to hear about paid criticism, the

audience no longer knows which film critic to trust. But yet

the importance of the role cannot be denied, viewers still turn

to movie reviews before making the decision to watch a film.

Some of the trusted film critics of the contemporary times are

Khalid Muhammad, Nikhat Kazmi, Mayank Shekhar, Janhvi

Patel, Sonia Chopra, Komal Nahta, Anupama Chopra, Rajeev

Masand, Omar Qureshi and Taran Adarsh, who have

succeeded to raise the bar of Film criticism in the country.

Although the significance of Film criticism has blurred yet

there is still hope for more refined and unbiased criticism,

such critic is appreciated and the Directorate of Film Festivals,

also accords The National Film Award for Best Film

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Critic annually from 1984 for films produced in the year

across the country, in all Indian languages to such critic.

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