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Why Bollywood
Why Bollywood
If you thought melodrama and over the top setting could only occur in soap operas and novelas you haven’t seen Bollywood, Hindi language film produced in Mumbai formerly Bombay (hence the name Bollywood). Bollywood movies employ large dance sequences, natural elements such as rain, wind and fire, acrobatics, and many scene and costume changes to enhance the intensity of the emotion being conveyed by the characters in the stories. The melodrama and extravagance works in Bollywood movies because the audience expects a dramatic storyline. Indian Film (including Bollywood, Kollywood (Tamil language film from Chennai) and Tollywood (Telugu language films of southern India), produces the most amount of films in the world, over 1000 films per year.
Bollywood vs Hollywood
Bollywood vs Hollywood
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Hollywood is one of the film industries in America and Bollywood is one of the film industries in India. Bollywood and Hollywood started filming their silent movies around the same time with the first Hollywood silent movie coming out in 1903 and the first silent Bollywood movie coming out in 1913. They both started making talking movies around the same times as well, only Hollywood was received better by their audiences. This was most likely due to the fact that Hollywood had bigger budgets for movies and their actorstechno logy was better. Because of this, Hollywood's golden age came before Bollywood, starting in the 20s and ending in the 60s, however Bollywood's golden age picked up in the 40s and ended in the 90s. Bollywood and Hollywood both have genres that are notable: in Hollywood there’s horror, romance, action, and comedy, and in Bollywood there's romance, action, and melodrama.
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Asha Bohlse
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Ravi Shankar
Music in India and Bollywood
Music in India and Bollywood
The music plays a big part in Bollywood films because through the music, the actors are able to sing with expression to convey the story. The reason why music is such a crucial part of Bollywood is because music in Indian culture is very treasured and has a great history:
Indian Classical Music dates its origins as early as 2500 BCE to the sacred Vedic texts which outline poems that are set to very specific chats, systems of musical notes and rhythmic patterns. Therefore classical music was a form of prayer for Hindus as they sang all of their ancient texts, so music has been incorporated into Indian culture for centuries.
During the modern period starting in the 18th century wealthy maharajas (kings) were the main patrons of music. However, after the British conquered India, the maharajas lost their wealth and could no longer fund music.
It wasn’t until the advent of Indian media that music again became popular and legends like Ravi Shankar brought Indian music to the world in the 1970’s.
Today show-stopping singers such as Lata Mangeshkar and her sister Asha Bholse, legendary singers such as Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar and modern day sensations like Sonu Nigam are playback artists who voice the singing in Bollywood films as the actors are not classically trained in the singing styles. Without them, all actors would need to be classically trained in singing and dancing greatly limiting the number of actors in Bollywood, as being trained as a singer starts at a very young age. They are highly idolized in Indian culture much like Elvis or the Beatles in America.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit Nene in Devdas
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Dancing and Bollywood
Dancing and Bollywood
Bollywood incorporates a lot of dancing into its movies due to the fact that dancing is an essential part of Indian culture. Many Indian classical and folk dances appear in Bollywood films and the actress practices with renowned choreographers and trained classical dancers to master the many art forms. The difference between classical and folk dances is that classical dance is based on the Natyashastra while folk dances grew from regional cultures. Dance sequences in the movies happen either when something is being celebrated, like a wedding or good news, or when something catastrophic happens in the plot like the main character dies, or the two star crossed lovers never get to see eachother again. The choreography and music helps to convey the story that is being told, but the dancing can also show immense emotion. The actors have to be skilled at dancing and be able to deliver dance breaks in order to be cast in Bollywood. Some of the most used dance forms in Bollywood movies include:
Garba from Gujarat is a folk dance form that is mostly performed by women because it symbolizes fertility, womanhood, women’s coming of age and marriage. It is characterized by circular movements with rhythmic instruments such as sticks or cymbals
Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form from Tamil Nadu in Southern India. Asked on religious texts, it wasn’t seen on stage till the 20th century. It uses bent knees and hand gestures to symbolize the pasty’s of the story.
Kathak is a classical dance from Northern India once only performed in temples and by professional storytellers called Kathakas who used song, dance and drama to tell stories of love. It is performed with bells on the feet to emphasize the rhythmic movements and the performer uses stylized facial expressions and gestures to tell the story.
Biggest Actresses in Bollywood today
Aishwarya Rai is a very well known Bollywood actress. She won Miss World and Miss India. Some of her most notable films include, Devdas, Guzaarish, Jodhaa Bai and Ae Dill Hai Mushkil.
Deepika Padukone is another Bollywood star who has risen to fame because of her incredible performance in movies like Om Shanti Om, Bajirao Mastani, and Padmaavat. She is not only a talented actor, but she is a classically trained dancer and singer, and she can also play Badminton. Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2018.
Alia Bhatt is one of Bollywood's best young stars. Not only has she been in Bollywood movies, she has also been in Hollywood, and Tollywood. She is an incredible dancer and the fact that she can act makes her even more famous and one of the most popular women Her well known films are Shaandaar, the Oscar Award winning RRR, and Razzi.
Kajol Devgan is one of Bollywood's golden age actresses. Most of her amazing films came out in the 80's and 90's. She starred alongside SRK who is said to be the King of Bollywood. She rose to fame in movies like Dilwale, Bazzigar, and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
Biggest Actors in Bollywood today
Shah Rukh Khan is by far the most famous Bollywood actor of all time. He is known as the King of Bollywood because he has starred in over 1000 movies since the 90's when he first started acting. Some of his most famous films include Dilwale, Dulhania, Le Jayenge, Devdas, and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.
Aamir Khan is one of the most successful Bollywood actors and known as "Mr. Perfectionist of Bollywood." He has successes in both Indian and Chinese films. He has been acting since he was a child at the age of 5. HIs most popular films include the largest grossing Indian film Dangaland other favorites such as Lagaan, Ghajini and Like Stars on Earth.
Ranbir Kapoor, who is related to Raj Kapoor, and is another phenomenal Bollywood actor. The Kapoor family have been big stars and producers in Bollywood since it began in the 1910's. Ranbir Kapoor is an incredibly talented dancer as well as actor and some of his most popular films are Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Anjanna Anjanni, and Besharam.
Ranaveer Sigh has become a rising star in Bollywood today. He is mostly known for starring in films in the drama and romance genre of Bollywood, as well as starring in period films. He is married to Deepika Padukone and they have been for married five years. Some of his popular films include Ram Leela, Padmaavat, and Bajirao Mastani, which both he and his wife starred in together.
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