The Changing Face of Bollywood

Rebecca Davies,
Correspondent (Film)

 

Indian cinema celebrates a milestone birthday this year — 100 years since Raja Harischandra, the first Indian feature film, was released. Although a silent film, it highlighted the need for an increase in films created in India, and this led to the innovative formation of a new, pioneering section in the Indian film industry called Bollywood.

Based in Mumbai, Bollywood focuses mainly on Hindi language films (although Hinglish, a mix of English and Hindi words, is becoming common) and although it makes up only one part of the Indian film industry, it has developed into a billion dollar sector, which can now produce up to 1,200 films each year. Now a thriving industry, in 2012 alone, nine films made more than Rs. 1 billion (£12 million) each at the box office. It has even grown to become one of the largest centres of film production in the world even though Bollywood doesn’t exist as a real location, unlike its American cousin Hollywood.

However, Freida Pinto, known for her award-winning role in the Indian drama film, Slumdog Millionaire, declared, “I wouldn’t want to do a Bollywood film per se. I think Bollywood has become synonymous with commercial cinema, which is song and dance and everything that is larger than life, and I am interested in the reality.” Bollywood, to some critics, has become stereotyped due to the directorial focus being placed on making money and appeasing audiences who have wanted Bollywood films to simply be about singing and dancing. However, times have changed, and audiences are looking for self-expression and self-refection within films as well.

The change in attitude towards the Indian film has had a positive knock on effect on the film censors, for example, the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is launching Cut-Uncut, which will be a new film festival that features unedited version of films that were previously censored.

Directors have begun to change the faces in Bollywood films by moving away from using bulky and handsome men, alongside beautiful yet dainty damsels in distress. Using A-list names that are glamorous and look impeccable in each scene might draw in the public, but they are un-relatable. Therefore there has been a rise in unconventional and ordinary protagonists, as the audience can relate and see parts of themselves in the characters.

As well as a renovation in the appearance of the actors, the look of Bollywood films has started to evolve. Vikramaditya Motwane, director of Udaan, admitted that he likes to make “something different and interesting”. Therefore in his movie, he pays close attention to his use of colour. A simple colour change can drastically alter the mood of a scene, and Motwane uses a yellow tinge to represent hope and acceptance, which compliments the narrative. Bollywood has become known for its use of vibrant and bright colours. However it is a breath of fresh air to witness directors experimenting with more serious or experimental tones and using colour not just to grab attention but to add depth to the scene.

I have only highlighted a handful of new stylistic techniques that Bollywood is investigating; the industry is still learning and experimenting, but its growth rate is astounding. Bollywood is dispersing into western culture rapidly, and even Brad Pitt has admitted that he would like to be involved in a Bollywood project, stating that he “would love to work in a Bollywood film, as there is so much drama and colour”. He went on to mention that “you never know when I might decide to work in a Bollywood film and do one of those dance numbers with the whole crew in the backdrop”. Bollywood has come a long way since Dadasahed Phalke’s released the first Indian film, but the industry has proven itself to be a vibrant yet versatile film producer, and it will be exciting to see what it does next.

Image Courtesy: rockying.com ; theguardian.com ; silkscreenfestival.org