The Bollywood Evolution – Part 1

Indian cinema or ‘Bollywood’ as it is commonly acknowledged as around the world, has evolved faster in the last 5 years than it did in the last 50. The movies of a time reflect the mood/sentiment of the nation, from movies about struggle of a new nation in the 50s -60s, to the rise of the rebel in 70s, to the family dramas of the 8os to the rise of individualism in 90s. Indian cinema is just like any other business, when you see the volume of products lined up every friday. Refreshingly after suffering from the nonsense formula attempts by many filmmakers, the audience has grown and evolved and meaningful movies are making the cut. What used to be art films are the today’s multiplex-only movies. Many recent successes are centered around the success of the script,with an exception of the Salman Khan and tribe, who sell to the lowest common denominator.

So what is changing?

Movies no longer do silver jubilees any more, one week is the new silver jubilee. No more art films or alternative cinema, there’s an evolved market for that now called ‘Multiplex Audience’, the intellectual, liberated new breed of Indians, who appreciate a good story over the glitz of bollywood stars. But mind you, the stars are ever popular too, but no longer popular because of movies alone, everyone is a brand. New indie filmmakers are on the rise, with short film competition popping up everywhere, with lost cost technology, anyone with a solid idea and execution can run with the biggies. The platform is not just movie theaters, with the decline of TV viewership, YouTube and its 4 inch screen is the window of entertainment today. It is but obvious that that this is an exciting era in Indian cinema: the demand and supply is growing consistently, it would be interesting to note how the next 5 years shape up the Entertainment Industry.

This is a part series, in every part we’ll try to explore how ‘Bollywood’ has evolved over the years and what specific trends are taking the spotlight in popular culture.

Image credit – Wikimedia Commons