Most people look at how Bollywood remains an integral part of Asian culture today. However, very few look at its origins. Early Indian cinema can be attributed to the two great ancient epics of India, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata which are in essence the solid foundation for much of India’s commercial cinema today.
Early Indian cinema took on an interpretation of a distinct moral code at a time when India was under the ruling of the West. Indian cinema was in very early stages when the Mahatma Gandhi-led national movement was at its peak. At that time it was no surprise that most Bollywood directors and screenplay writers were influenced by the Gandhian worldview. Many directors were conscious about making their films a vehicle for delivering messages of social reform.
Many of the films that came out during Mahatma Gandhi’s era reflected his social concerns. Dil Ek Mandir focussed on the oppression of women in family and society. Caste based inequalities were tackled in films like Sujata, Acchut and Haasil. And most prominent perhaps which seems to form the basis of most modern Bollywood films is the disparity between rich and poor in films like Pyaasa, Lawaaris and Jaagte Raho.
In this modern age, Bollywood continues to embrace commercialism. Just as in the West, there is a culture for people to read about A-list actors in Grazia or Heat magazines; pages brimming with celebrity diets, fitness regimes and DVDs, fans of Bollywood actors and actresses seek to emulate their screen icons, albeit through their clothes, makeup, dance styles or workout regimes.
In India the trend to emulate the lives of Bollywood screen idols is evidentially extreme. Take the Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor who dropped down to a size zero. Last year, her nutritionist brought out a book revealing Kareena’s way to diet to size zero. Suddenly women in India were obsessed with becoming the ultimate size zero, which is frowned upon certainly in Western catwalks. Traditionally Indian women are celebrated for their natural curviness however this is no longer the norm.
Before you register your hen night, check out Sudha’s article on Bollywood culture
