 |
Bollywood is an eighty year old industry now. From Mother India to
Jodhaa Akbar, Bollywood has seen a world of change. From black and
white to color and from mute to Dolby Digital, the change has been
immense and unimaginable. A variety of characters, a plethora of
stories and a range of music have adorned the silver screen. It is widely agreed that cinema and movies are the passions of an Indian's life. As cricket can be seen being played in every nook and corner of the country, Hindi film music can be heard blaring loud from the loudspeakers in every locality. Music and dance are the very essence of our culture and thus an indispensable part of the films produced here. Film songs usually dominate wherever music is played, whether it's a disc floor or a baraat procession. |
Cinema attracts and inspires alike over the ages. The youth can be commonly seen following the dressing or the hair styles donned by the film stars. It can be well concluded from thus that films constitute an integral and inseparable part of our society and our lives. Vice-versa our films have also portrayed the gradual changes in our society and the schema of people.
As mocked at in a recent film Om Shanti Om, there was an era of cinema which appears melodramatic to the generations after. The characters used to shed tears at a drop of a hat and dialogue delivery used to be multitonous. Despite such peculiar play on emotions films used to gather crowd. Compared to the scene today, the display of emotions is more subtle and thus much more near to reality.
Earlier most of the emphasis used to lay upon the acting and expressions of the stars. Now the film makers have started giving much more importance to the visual appeal of the film. A film is supposed to be aesthetically appealing also in order to be as complete package. Recent films like Race and the Dhoom series have sold solely on the basis of visual appeal
As lamented by the older generations, films nowadays are serving more sex and exposure than ever. Heroines are wearing shorter and lesser clothes day by day. Earlier there used to be one Sharmila Tagore to dare and wear a bikini, now there are many Mallika Sherawats.
The hero has also broken out of the Mera-Bharat-Mahaan mode. Films like Rang De Basanti have characters which have no qualms about accepting that they don't like this country. And, as a matter of fact, audience relates to them! The stories today have a different way of dealing with patriotism, which still remains saleable. Stories have undercurrents of patriotism which is finer rather than over the top. For example Chak De India or Namaste London.
|
Today various regions are also being hailed on the screen. Latest
example would be Tashan, which tries to sell the term Kanpuriya and
the guy walking away with the heroine in the end happens to be a
local goon or bhaiya rather than a suave, English speaking guy
working in a call centre. Earlier the script writers used to take ideas from the works of Ravindra Nath Tagore, Saratchandra, Vimal Mitra etc. Now they are often accused of lifting stories scene by scene from popular Hollywood flicks. Latest in the row were Hey Baby and Partner. |
 |
The difference between parallel and commercial cinema is also diminishing film by film. Directors like Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen saw little box office success. But now the new breed of directors is able to attract audience for films made on serious issues. For e.g. Maqbool and Omkara by Vishal Bharadwaj and Page 3 and Corporate by Madhur Bhandarkar
Films have always depicted the social trends, and here is where another difference can be spotted. The hero was patriotic at the time India was fighting for independence. But as the glory of independence faded and the novelty of being and independent nation died, the society awakened to find itself amidst a poor system and social corruption. Then films like 'UPKAAR' and ROTI KAPDA OR MAKAAN were made. Slowly with society's futile attempts to doctor the system, the hero of the Indian cinema became the angry young man. He had no trust in the system and relied more on his actions. Films like 'ANDHA KANOON' and for that matter most of the Amitabh Bacchan films of that era.
With the economic progress of India, the filmy hero left the cycle and drove a bike and then a car. The major problems in protagonist's life changed from financial to romantic.The Indo-China war revived the wave of patriotism in people. Films like 'HAQIQAT' were made then. Similarly when the war in Kargil triggered, 'BORDER, was released which banked upon the revived patriotic feeling in the audience.
With the onset of 80's, the joint families of India were on the verge of breaking as nuclear families were becoming popular. Then to rekindle Indian culture films like 'GHAR EK MANDIR' and 'ASHIRVAAD' were made and gained popularity.
As the phenomena of NRI's i.e. Indians settling abroad surfaced, film's backdrop, setting and plot changed accordingly. For e.g. 'DILWALE DULHANIYA LE JAENGE' and 'KABHI KHUSHI KABHI GHAM'. And the latest trend is to set the film abroad as to add to the visual appeal of the film by shooting only at the foreign locales..
There are no clear demarcations between good or bad now, as there were in earlier films in the roles of the villain and the hero. Characters today have various shades of grey. Now the protagonist is a cunning antihero who can use any means to get what he wants. For example 'BUNTY OR BABLI', 'BLUFFMASTER' and 'BEING CYRUS'.
 |
Is this simply a new trend or a reason to be worried for? In the
past the filmy heroes have been the ideals for the youth. With the
glamorization of the villain, he has become the new icon for the
youngsters, whether its Babli or Aryan or Kabir of the DHOOM series.Or rather he can identify with the
characters of Life in a metro where every one can be seen indulging
in extra marital affairs. Is it a blight for the generation or
should we be optimistic about the movies like 'ANKUSH', 'SWADESH'
and 'RANG DE BASANTI' coming up once in a
while? World is sitting up and noticing Indian cinema. Hollywood has started taking a keen interest in Bollywood. Many actors are making there debuts over seas. Despite so many changes, Bollywood hasn't changed in its essence. Bollywood movies still dictate fashion, Bollywood movies are bound to be musicals and Bollywood songs are converted into bhajans. |
Change is the course of nature and a weapon of time. As the society tends to transform according to human convenience, cinema continues to mirror and some times judge its course. Nobody could see the verdict in the Jessica Lal's case coming in favour until the candle march inspired by 'RANG DE BASANTI' happened.
It won't be an exaggeration to state that cinema sometimes gives a peep into our future. Cinema is no longer a mere means of entertainment. It projects a possible life and it captures dreams.
The past, the currant fashions and the blind icon worship by the Indian audience bestows a unique power to the directors and other people associated with this industry. It could be rightly said that they hold the ability to mould the public opinion and change the scenario more effectively than the political leaders because cinema is the mirror of society.
