Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

, engaged in production of motion pictures in

Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...

language. The popular term Bollywood, is a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordsHollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

". The industry is a part of the larger

Indian cinema The Cinema of India consists of motion pictures produced in India, which had a large effect on world cinema since the late 20th century. Major centers of film production across the country include Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Ko ...

, which also includes South Cinema and other smaller film industries. In 2017, Indian cinema produced 1,986 feature films, of which the largest number, 364 have been from Hindi. , Hindi cinema represented 43 percent of Indian net box-office revenue;

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

and

Telugu cinema Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Telugu cinema is based in Film Nagar, Hy ...

represented 36 percent, and the remaining regional cinema constituted 21 percent. Hindi cinema has overtaken the U.S. film industry to become the largest centre for film production in the world. In 2001 ticket sales, Indian cinema (including Hindi films) reportedly sold an estimated 3.6 billion tickets worldwide, compared to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

's 2.6 billion tickets sold. Earlier Hindi films tended to use vernacular Hindustani, mutually intelligible by speakers of either Hindi or

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

Hinglish Hinglish, a portmanteau of Hindi and English, is the macaronic hybrid use of English and languages of the Indian subcontinent, and especially Hindi. It involves code-switching or translanguaging between these languages whereby they are freely i ...

. * * * * * The most popular commercial genre in Hindi cinema since the 1970s has been the

masala film Masala films of Indian cinema mix multiple genres into one work. Masala films emerged in the 1970s and are still created as of the 2020s. Typically these films freely mix action, comedy, romance, and drama or melodrama. They also tend to be ...

, which freely mixes different genres including

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

romance Romance (from Vulgar Latin , "in the Roman language", i.e., "Latin") may refer to: Common meanings * Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings * Romance languages, ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

and

melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...

along with

musical numbers In music, number refers to an individual song, dance, or instrumental piece which is part of a larger work of musical theatre, opera, or oratorio. It can also refer either to an individual song in a published collection or an individual song or d ...

. Masala films generally fall under the

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...

genre, of which Indian cinema has been the largest producer since the 1960s when it exceeded the American film industry's total musical output after musical films declined in the West; the first Indian musical talkie was ''

Alam Ara ''Alam Ara'' () is a 1931 Indian Hindustani-language historical fantasy film directed and produced by Ardeshir Irani. It revolves on a king and his two wives, Navbahaar and Dilbahaar, who are childless; soon, a '' fakir'' (Muhammad Wazir Khan) ...

'' (1931), several years after the first Hollywood musical talkie ''

The Jazz Singer ''The Jazz Singer'' is a 1927 American musical drama film directed by Alan Crosland. It is the first feature-length motion picture with both synchronized recorded music score as well as lip-synchronous singing and speech (in several isolated ...

'' (1927). Alongside commercial masala films, a distinctive genre of

art film An art film (or arthouse film) is typically an independent film, aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience. It is "intended to be a serious, artistic work, often experimental and not designed for mass appeal", "made primarily f ...

s known as

parallel cinema Parallel cinema, or New Indian Cinema, is a film movement in Indian cinema that originated in the state of West Bengal in the 1950s as an alternative to the mainstream commercial Indian cinema. Inspired by Italian Neorealism, Parallel Cinema ...

has also existed, presenting realistic content and avoidance of musical numbers. In more recent years, the distinction between commercial masala and parallel cinema has been gradually blurring, with an increasing number of mainstream films adopting the conventions which were once strictly associated with parallel cinema.

The term Bollywood

"Bollywood" is a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordsMumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

) and "Hollywood", a shorthand reference for the

American film industry The cinema of the United States, consisting mainly of major film studios (also known as Hollywood) along with some independent film, has had a large effect on the global film industry since the early 20th century. The dominant style of Ame ...

which is based in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. The term "Tollywood", for the

Tollygunge Tollygunge (Bengali: টালিগঞ্জ; nicknamed 'Mini Mumbai' or 'Mini Bombay') is a locality of South Kolkata, in West Bengal, India. It is famed as the centre of the Indian film industry, known as Tollywood, Marathi Cinema, South Indi ...

-based

cinema of West Bengal Tollywood, also known as Cinema of West Bengal, is an Cinema of India, Indian film industry of Bengali language, Bengali-language motion pictures. It is based in the Tollygunge region of Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The origins of the nicknam ...

, predated "Bollywood". It was used in a 1932 ''

American Cinematographer ''American Cinematographer'' is a magazine published monthly by the American Society of Cinematographers. It focuses on the art and craft of cinematography, covering domestic and foreign feature productions, television productions, short films, mu ...

'' article by Wilford E. Deming, an American engineer who helped produce the first Indian sound picture. "Bollywood" was probably invented in Bombay-based film trade journals in the 1960s or 1970s, though the exact inventor varies by account. Film journalist Bevinda Collaco claims she coined the term for the title of her column in ''

Screen Screen or Screens may refer to: Arts * Screen printing (also called ''silkscreening''), a method of printing * Big screen, a nickname associated with the motion picture industry * Split screen (filmmaking), a film composition paradigm in which mul ...

'' magazine. Her column entitled "On the Bollywood Beat" covered studio news and celebrity gossip. Other sources state that lyricist, filmmaker and scholar

Amit Khanna Amit Khanna is an Indian film producer, director, writer, and journalist. He was the founder chairman of Reliance Entertainment, former president of the Producers Guild of India, and the founder trustee of the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Imag ...

was its creator. It's unknown if it was derived from "Hollywood" through "Tollywood", or was inspired directly by "Hollywood". The term has been criticised by some film journalists and critics, who believe it implies that the industry is a poor cousin of Hollywood. "Bollywood" has since inspired a long list of Hollywood-inspired nicknames.

History

Early history (1890s–1930s)

In 1897, a film presentation by Professor Stevenson featured a stage show at

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

's Star Theatre. With Stevenson's encouragement and camera,

Hiralal Sen Hiralal Sen ( bn, হীরালাল সেন, ''Hiralal Shen''; 2 August 1868 – 26 October 1917) is generally considered one of India's first filmmakers. In 1903, he filmed the popular Alibaba and Forty Thieves, the first full-length In ...

, an Indian photographer, made a film of scenes from that show, ''The Flower of Persia'' (1898). ''The Wrestlers'' (1899) by

H. S. Bhatavdekar Harishchandra Sakharam Bhatavdekar (15 March 1868 – 20 February 1958), also known as Save dada, was the first Indian to make a film ( motion picture) in India. Biography H. S. Bhatavdekar was a resident of Mumbai (Bombay). A Maharashtrian por ...

showed a

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...

match at the Hanging Gardens in

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

Dadasaheb Phalke Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (Pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, ̪ʱuɳɖiɾaːd͡ʒ pʰaːɭke, popularly known as Dadasaheb Phalke () (30 April 1870 – 16 February 1944), was an Indian producer-director-screenwriter, known as "the Father of In ...

's silent ''

Raja Harishchandra ''Raja Harishchandra'' () is a 1913 Indian silent film directed and produced by Dadasaheb Phalke. It is often considered the first full-length Indian feature film. ''Raja Harishchandra'' features Dattatraya Damodar Dabke, Anna Salunke, Bhalc ...

'' (1913) is the first feature film made in India. By the 1930s, the industry was producing over 200 films per year. The first Indian sound film,

Ardeshir Irani Khan Bahadur Ardeshir Irani (5 December 1886 – 14 October 1969) was a writer, director, producer, actor, film distributor, film showman and cinematographer in the silent and sound eras of early Indian cinema. He was the one of the greatest l ...

's ''

'' (1931), was commercially successful. With a great demand for talkies and musicals, Hindustani cinema (as Hindi cinema was then known as) and the other regional film industries quickly switched to sound films.

Challenges and market expansion (1930s–1940s)

The 1930s and 1940s were tumultuous times; India was buffeted by the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the

Indian independence movement The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...

, and the violence of the

Partition Partition may refer to: Computing Hardware * Disk partitioning, the division of a hard disk drive * Memory partition, a subdivision of a computer's memory, usually for use by a single job Software * Partition (database), the division of a ...

. Although most early Bombay films were unabashedly escapist, a number of filmmakers tackled tough social issues or used the struggle for Indian independence as a backdrop for their films. Irani made the first

colour film, '' Kisan Kanya'', in 1937. The following year, he made a colour version of ''

Mother India ''Mother India'' is a 1957 Indian epic drama film, directed by Mehboob Khan and starring Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Raaj Kumar. A remake of Khan's earlier film '' Aurat'' (1940), it is the story of a poverty-stricken village woma ...

''. However, colour did not become a popular feature until the late 1950s. At this time, lavish romantic musicals and melodramas were cinematic staples. The decade of the 1940s saw an expansion of Bombay cinema's commercial market and its presence in the national consciousness. The year 1943 saw the arrival of Indian cinema's first 'blockbuster' offering, the movie '' Kismet'', which grossed in excess of the important barrier of one

crore A crore (; abbreviated cr) denotes ten million (10,000,000 or 107 in scientific notation) and is equal to 100 lakh in the Indian numbering system. It is written as 1,00,00,000 with the local 2,2,3 style of digit group separators (one lakh is e ...

(10 million) rupees, made on a budget of only two

lakh A lakh (; abbreviated L; sometimes written lac) is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand (100,000; scientific notation: 105). In the Indian 2,2,3 convention of digit grouping, it is written as 1,00,000. For ex ...

(200,000) rupees. Kismet tackled contemporary issues, especially those arising from the Indian Independence movement, and went on to become "the longest running hit of Indian cinema", a title it held till the 1970s. Film personalities like Bimal Roy, Sahir Ludhianvi and Prithviraj Kapoor participated in the creation of a national movement against colonial rule in India, while simultaneously leveraging the popular political movement to increase their own visibility and popularity. Themes from the Independence Movement deeply influenced Bombay film directors, screen-play writers, and lyricists, who saw their films in the context of social reform and the problems of the common people. Before the Partition, the Bombay film industry was closely linked to the Lahore film industry (now the

Pakistani film industry Cinema of Pakistan, popularly known as Lollywood ( ur, ), refers to the filmmaking industry in Pakistan. Pakistan is home to several film studios centres, primarily located in its three largest cities – Karachi, Lahore, and Faisalabad. ...

also known as "Lollywood"); both produced films in Hindustani (also known as Hindi-Urdu), the ''

lingua franca A lingua franca (; ; for plurals see ), also known as a bridge language, common language, trade language, auxiliary language, vehicular language, or link language, is a language systematically used to make communication possible between groups ...

'' of northern and central India. Another centre of Hindustani-language film production was the Bengal film industry in

Bengal Presidency The Bengal Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort William and later Bengal Province, was a subdivision of the British Empire in India. At the height of its territorial jurisdiction, it covered large parts of what is now South Asia and ...

(now Kolkata,

West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...

), which produced Hindustani-language films and local

Bengali language Bengali ( ), generally known by its endonym Bangla (, ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language native to the Bengal region of South Asia. It is the official, national, and most widely spoken language of Bangladesh and the second m ...

films. Many actors, filmmakers and musicians from the Lahore industry migrated to the Bombay industry during the 1940s, including actors

K. L. Saigal Kundan Lal Saigal, often abbreviated as K. L. Saigal (11 April 1904 – 18 January 1947), was an Indian singer and actor who is considered the first superstar of the Hindi film industry, which was centred in Kolkata during Saigal's time, but is ...

Prithviraj Kapoor Prithviraj Kapoor (born Prithvinath Kapoor; 3 November 1906 – 29 May 1972) was an Indian actor who is also considered to be one of the founding figures of Hindi cinema. He was associated with IPTA as one of its founding members and establish ...

Dilip Kumar Mohammed Yusuf Khan (; 11 December 1922 – 7 July 2021), better known by his stage name Dilip Kumar, was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi cinema. Credited with pioneering method acting in cinema, he dominated the Indian movie scene from lat ...

and

Dev Anand Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand (26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011), better known as Dev Anand, was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema, through a career that spanned over six decades. He was ...

as well as playback singers

Mohammed Rafi Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer and musician. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and ...

Noorjahan Noor Jehan ( Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Pres ...

and

Shamshad Begum Shamshad Begum (Hindi: शमशाद बेगम, IAST: ''Śamśād Bēgam''; 14 April 1919 – 23 April 2013) was an Indian singer who was one of the first playback singers in the Hindi film industry. Notable for her distinctive voice and ...

. Around the same time, filmmakers and actors from the Calcutta film industry began migrating to Bombay; as a result, Bombay became the center of Hindustani-language film production. The 1947 partition of India divided the country into the

Republic of India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

and

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

, which precipitated the migration of filmmaking talent from film production centres like

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...

and

, which bore the brunt of the partition violence. This included actors, filmmakers and musicians from

Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

(particularly the present-day

Pakistani Punjab Punjab (; , ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in central-eastern region of the country, Punjab is the second-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the largest province by population. It shares land borders with the ...

), and the

North-West Frontier Province The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP; ps, شمال لویدیځ سرحدي ولایت, ) was a Chief Commissioner's Province of British India, established on 9 November 1901 from the north-western districts of the Punjab Province. Followin ...

(present-day

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, ...

). These events further consolidated the Bombay film industry's position as the preeminent center for film production in India.

Golden age (late 1940s–1960s)

The period from the late 1940s to the early 1960s, after

India's independence The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged from Bengal. ...

, is regarded by film historians as the Golden Age of Hindi cinema. Some of the most critically acclaimed Hindi films of all time were produced during this time. Examples include ''

Pyaasa ''Pyaasa'' (; ) is a 1957 Indian Hindi drama film directed and produced by Guru Dutt, who stars alongside Mala Sinha, Waheeda Rehman, Rehman, and Johnny Walker. Set in Calcutta, it focuses on the disillusioned Urdu poet Vijay (Dutt), whose ...

'' (1957) and ''

Kaagaz Ke Phool ''Kaagaz Ke Phool'' () is a 1959 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film produced and directed by Guru Dutt, who also played the lead role in the film along with Waheeda Rehman. It is the first Indian film in CinemaScope and the last film off ...

'' (1959), directed by

Guru Dutt Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone (9 July 1925 – 10 October 1964), better known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer, actor, choreographer, and writer.Rajadhyaksha, Ashish, and Paul Willemen. 9941998''Encyclopedia of Indian ...

and written by

Abrar Alvi Abrar Alvi (1 July 1927 – 18 November 2009) was an Indian film writer, director and actor. Most of his notable work was done in the 1950s and 1960s with Guru Dutt. He wrote some of the most respected works of Indian cinema, including ''Sahib ...

; ''

Awaara ''Awaara'', also written ''Awāra'', ur, , Āvārā, group=n, name=HindiUrdu and known overseas as ''The Vagabond'', is a 1951 Indian Hindi crime drama film, produced and directed by Raj Kapoor, and written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. It stars Raj ...

'' (1951) and ''

Shree 420 ''Shree 420'' (also spelled as ''Shri 420''; ) is a 1955 Indian Hindi comedy-drama film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor from a story written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas whose use of Shree with the negative connotations of 420 caused controversy. ...

'' (1955), directed by

Raj Kapoor Raj Kapoor (pronunciation: �aːd͡ʒ kəpuːɾ born Shrishti Nath Kapoor; also known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988) was an Indian actor, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is considered one of th ...

and written by

Khwaja Ahmad Abbas Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (7 June 1914 – 1 June 1987) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, novelist, and journalist in Urdu, Hindi and English. He won four National Film Awards in India. Internationally, his films won the Palme d'Or (Golden ...

, and ''

Aan ''Aan'' (Hindi: आन, Urdu: آن, translation: ''Pride''), released as ''The Savage Princess'' in the United Kingdom and United States, is a 1952 Indian Bollywood adventure film, produced and directed by Mehboob Khan. It was India's first t ...

'' (1952), directed by

Mehboob Khan Mehboob Khan (born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan; 9 September 1907
at filmreference.com. – 28 ...

and starring

. The films explored social themes, primarily dealing with working-class life in India (particularly urban life) in the first two examples. ''Awaara'' presented the city as both nightmare and dream, and ''Pyaasa'' critiqued the unreality of urban life.

Mehboob Khan Mehboob Khan (born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan; 9 September 1907
at filmreference.com. – 28 ...

's ''

'' (1957), a remake of his earlier '' Aurat'' (1940), was the first Indian film nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...

; it lost by a single vote. ''Mother India'' defined conventional Hindi cinema for decades. It spawned a genre of

dacoit film Dacoity is a term used for "banditry" in the Indian subcontinent. The spelling is the anglicised version of the Hindi word ''daaku''; "dacoit" is a colloquial Indian English word with this meaning and it appears in the ''Glossary of Colloquial ...

s, in turn defined by ''

Gunga Jumna ''Ganga Jamna'' (ISO 15919: ''Gaṅgā Jamunā''), also transliterated as ''Ganga Jamuna'' or ''Gunga Jumna'', is a 1961 Indian crime drama film, written and produced by Dilip Kumar, and directed by Nitin Bose, with dialogues written by Wajahat ...

'' (1961). Written and produced by Dilip Kumar, ''Gunga Jumna'' was a dacoit

crime drama Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

about two brothers on opposite sides of the law (a theme which became common in Indian films during the 1970s).Tejaswini Ganti
''Bollywood: A Guidebook to Popular Hindi Cinema'', page 153
/ref> Some of the best-known

epic film Epic films are a style of filmmaking with large-scale, sweeping scope, and spectacle. The usage of the term has shifted over time, sometimes designating a film genre and at other times simply synonymous with big-budget filmmaking. Like epics in ...

s of Hindi cinema were also produced at this time, such as

K. Asif K. Asif (born Asif Karim; 14 June 1922 – 9 March 1971) was an Indian film director, film producer and screenwriter who is known for his epic film, ''Mughal-e-Azam'' (1960). Early life Asif was born in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India to paren ...

's ''

Mughal-e-Azam ''Mughal-e-Azam'' () is a 1960 Indian epic historical drama film produced and directed by K. Asif. Starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote, it follows the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim (who went on ...

'' (1960). Other acclaimed mainstream Hindi filmmakers during this period included

Kamal Amrohi Syed Amir Haider Kamal Naqvi (17 January 1918 – 11 February 1993), popularly known as Kamal Amrohi, was an Indian film director and screenwriter. He was also an Urdu and Hindi poet. His Hindi films include '' Mahal'' (1949), ''Pakeezah'' (19 ...

and

Vijay Bhatt Vijay Bhatt (born Vrajlal Jagneshwar Bhatt; 12 May 1907 – 17 October 1993) was a producer-director-screenwriter of Hindi cinema, who made such films as '' Ram Rajya'' (1943), ''Baiju Bawra'' (1952), ''Goonj Uthi Shehnai'' (1959) and ''Himalay ...

Nargis, Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar in scene from Andaz

The three most popular male Indian actors of the 1950s and 1960s were

, and

, each with a unique acting style. Kapoor adopted

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...

tramp A tramp is a long-term homeless person who travels from place to place as a vagrant, traditionally walking all year round. Etymology Tramp is derived from a Middle English verb meaning to "walk with heavy footsteps" (''cf.'' modern English ''t ...

persona; Anand modeled himself on suave Hollywood stars like

Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the 12th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood ...

and

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...

, and Kumar pioneered a form of

method acting Method acting, informally known as The Method, is a range of training and rehearsal techniques, as formulated by a number of different theatre practitioners, that seeks to encourage sincere and expressive performances through identifying with, u ...

which predated Hollywood method actors such as

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...

. Kumar, who was described as "the ultimate method actor" by

Satyajit Ray Satyajit Ray (; 2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992) was an Indian director, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, author, essayist, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligrapher, and music composer. One of the greatest auteurs of fil ...

, inspired future generations of Indian actors. Much like Brando's influence on

Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor. Known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he is considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of various accolades ...

and

Al Pacino Alfredo James Pacino (; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he has received numerous accolades: including an Academy Award, two Tony Awards, and two Primetime Emmy ...

, Kumar had a similar influence on

Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...

Naseeruddin Shah Naseeruddin Shah (born 20 July 1950) is an Indian actor. He is notable in Indian parallel cinema. He has also starred in international productions. He has won numerous awards in his career, including three National Film Awards, three Filmfare A ...

Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" ...

and

Nawazuddin Siddiqui Nawazuddin Siddiqui (; born 19 May 1974) is an Indian actor known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is an alumnus of the National School of Drama. Siddiqui's feature film debut was alongside director Prashant Bhargava in ''Patang'' (2012). He ga ...

.Before Brando, There Was Dilip Kumar
The Quint, 11 December 2015 Veteran actresses such as

Suraiya Suraiya Jamal Sheikh (15 June 1929 – 31 January 2004), popularly known by the mononym Suraiya, was a popular actress and playback singer in India's Hindi-language films. She was active from 1936 to 1963, and was the most celebrated actress ...

Nargis Nargis Dutt (born Fatima Rashid; 1 June 1929 – 3 May 1981) was an Indian actress and politician who worked in Hindi cinema. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, she made her screen debut in a minor role ...

, Sumitra Devi,

Madhubala Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress and producer who worked in Hindi-language films. She ranked as one of the highest-paid entertainers in India in the post-independence era, ...

Meena Kumari Meena Kumari (born Mahjabeen Bano; 1 August 1933 – 31 March 1972) was an Indian actress and poet, who worked in Hindi films. Popularly known as ''The Tragedy Queen'', she was active between 1939 and 1972. Kumari is widely considered one of ...

Waheeda Rehman Waheeda Rehman (born 3 February 1938) is an Indian actress and dancer. Regarded as one of Hindi cinema's finest actresses, Rehman's accolades include a National Film Awards, National Film Award and three Filmfare Awards. Rehman was honoured wi ...

Nutan Nutan Samarth Bahl (4 June 1936 – 21 February 1991), known mononymously as Nutan, was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. In a career spanning nearly four decades, she appeared in more than 70 films, mostly as a protagonist, in both bi ...

, Sadhana,

Mala Sinha Alda Sinha (born 11 November 1936), better known by her stage name Mala Sinha is a former Indian actress who has worked in Hindi, Bengali and Nepali films. Initially starting her career with regional cinema, she went on to become a top leading ...

and

Vyjayanthimala Vyjayanthimala (born 13 August 1936) is a former Indian actress, dancer and parliamentarian. She is the recipient of several accolades, including two BFJA Awards and five Filmfare Awards. She made her screen debut at the age of thirteen with ...

have had their share of influence on Hindi cinema. While commercial Hindi cinema was thriving, the 1950s also saw the emergence of a

movement. Although the movement (emphasising

social realism Social realism is the term used for work produced by painters, printmakers, photographers, writers and filmmakers that aims to draw attention to the real socio-political conditions of the working class as a means to critique the power structure ...

) was led by Bengali cinema, it also began gaining prominence in Hindi cinema. Early examples of parallel cinema include ''

Dharti Ke Lal ''Dharti Ke Lal'' ( ''Children of the Earth'') is a 1946 Hindustani film, the first directorial venture of the noted film director Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (K. A. Abbas). It was jointly written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and Bijon Bhattacharya, based on ...

'' (1946), directed by

and based on the

Bengal famine of 1943 The Bengal famine of 1943 was a famine in the Bengal province of British India (present-day Bangladesh, West Bengal and eastern India) during World War II. An estimated 0.8 to 3.8 million Bengalis perished, out of a population of 60.3 millio ...

,; ''

Neecha Nagar ''Neecha Nagar'' () is a 1946 Indian Hindi-language film, directed by Chetan Anand, written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and Hayatullah Ansari, and produced by Rashid Anwar and A.Halim. It was a pioneering effort in social realism in Indian cinema a ...

'' (1946) directed by Chetan Anand and written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas,Maker of innovative, meaningful movies
''

The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...

'', 15 June 2007 and Bimal Roy's ''

Do Bigha Zamin ''Do Bigha Zamin'' () is a 1953 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Bimal Roy. Based on Rabindranath Tagore's Bengali poem " Dui Bigha Jomi", the film stars Balraj Sahni, Nirupa Roy in lead roles. Known for its socialist theme, it is c ...

'' (1953). Their critical acclaim and the latter's commercial success paved the way for Indian neorealism and the Indian New Wave (synonymous with parallel cinema). Internationally acclaimed Hindi filmmakers involved in the movement included

Mani Kaul Mani Kaul (25 December 1944 – 6 July 2011) was an Indian director of Hindi films and a reputed figure in Indian parallel cinema. He graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) where he was a student of Ritwik Ghatak and ...

Kumar Shahani Kumar Shahani (born 7 December 1940) is an Indian film director and screenwriter, best known for his parallel cinema films '' Maya Darpan'' (1972), ''Tarang'' (1984), ''Khayal Gatha'' (1989) and '' Kasba'' (1990). Due to his dedication to forma ...

Ketan Mehta Ketan Mehta (born 21 July 1952) is an Indian film director who has also directed documentaries and television serials since 1975. Early life and education Born on 21 July 1952 in Navsari in Gujarat, Mehta did his schooling from Sardar Patel Vid ...

Govind Nihalani Govind Nihalani (born 19 December 1940) is an Indian film director, cinematographer, screenwriter and producer, known for his works in Hindi cinema. He has been the recipient of six National Film Awards, and five Bollywood Filmfare Awards. In 1 ...

Shyam Benegal Shyam Benegal (born 14 December 1934) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. Often regarded as the pioneer of parallel cinema, he is widely considered as one of the greatest filmmakers post 1970s. He has received ...

, and Vijaya Mehta. RajeshKhanna

After the social-realist film ''Neecha Nagar'' received the Palme d'Or at the inaugural 1946 Cannes Film Festival, Hindi films were frequently in competition for Cannes' top prize during the 1950s and early 1960s and some won major prizes at the festival.

, overlooked during his lifetime, received belated international recognition during the 1980s. Film critics polled by the British magazine ''Sight & Sound'' included several of Dutt's films in a 2002 list of List of films considered the best, greatest films, and Time's All-Time 100 Movies lists ''

'' as one of the greatest films of all time. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the industry was dominated by musical romance films with romantic-hero leads.

Classic Hindi cinema (1970s–1980s)

By 1970, Hindi cinema was thematically stagnant and dominated by musical romance films. The arrival of screenwriting duo Salim–Javed (Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar) was a paradigm shift, revitalising the industry. They began the genre of gritty, violent, Mumbai underworld films, Bombay underworld crime films early in the decade with films such as ''Zanjeer (1973 film), Zanjeer'' (1973) and ''Deewaar'' (1975). Salim-Javed reinterpreted the rural themes of

Mehboob Khan Mehboob Khan (born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan; 9 September 1907
at filmreference.com. – 28 ...

's ''

'' (1957) and

's ''

'' (1961) in a contemporary urban context, reflecting the socio-economic and socio-political climate of 1970s India and channeling mass discontent, disillusionment and the unprecedented growth of slums with anti-establishment themes and those involving urban poverty, corruption and crime. Their "angry young man", personified by

, reinterpreted Dilip Kumar's performance in ''Gunga Jumna'' in a contemporary urban context and anguished urban poor. By the mid-1970s, romantic confections had given way to gritty, violent crime films and action films about gangsters (the Bombay underworld) and bandits (dacoits). Salim-Javed's writing and Amitabh Bachchan's acting popularised the trend with films such as ''Zanjeer'' and (particularly) ''Deewaar'', a crime film inspired by ''Gunga Jumna'' which pitted "a policeman against his brother, a gang leader based on real-life smuggler Haji Mastan" (Bachchan); according to Danny Boyle, ''Deewaar'' was "absolutely key to Indian cinema". In addition to Bachchan, several other actors followed by riding the crest of the trend (which lasted into the early 1990s). Actresses from the era include Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Rakhee Gulzar, Raakhee, Shabana Azmi, Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi, Rekha, Dimple Kapadia, Smita Patil, Jaya Prada and Padmini Kolhapure. Amitabh

The name "Bollywood" was coined during the 1970s, when the conventions of commercial Hindi films were defined. Key to this was the

, which combines a number of genres (

, and Musical film, musical). The masala film was pioneered early in the decade by filmmaker Nasir Hussain, and the Salim-Javed screenwriting duo, pioneering the Bollywood-Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbuster format. ''Yaadon Ki Baarat'' (1973), directed by Hussain and written by Salim-Javed, has been identified as the first masala film and the first quintessentially "Bollywood" film.Kaushik Bhaumik
An Insightful Reading of Our Many Indian Identities
The Wire (Indian web publication), The Wire, 12 March 2016 Salim-Javed wrote more successful masala films during the 1970s and 1980s. Masala films made Amitabh Bachchan the biggest star of the period. A landmark of the genre was ''Amar Akbar Anthony'' (1977), directed by Manmohan Desai and written by Kader Khan, and Desai continued successfully exploiting the genre. Both genres (masala and violent-crime films) are represented by the blockbuster ''Sholay'' (1975), written by Salim-Javed and starring Amitabh Bachchan. It combined the

conventions of ''Mother India'' and ''Gunga Jumna'' with spaghetti Westerns, spawning the Dacoit Western (also known as the curry Western) which was popular during the 1970s. Some Hindi filmmakers, such as

and Vijaya Mehta, continued to produce realistic

throughout the 1970s.Rajadhyaksa, 685 Although the

bent of the Film Finance Corporation was criticised during a 1976 Committee on Public Undertakings (India), Committee on Public Undertakings investigation which accused the corporation of not doing enough to encourage commercial cinema, the decade saw the rise of commercial cinema with films such as ''Sholay'' (1975) which consolidated

's position as a star. The devotional classic ''Jai Santoshi Ma'' was also released that year.Rajadhyaksa, 688 By 1983, the Bombay film industry was generating an estimated annual revenue of ( 7 billion, ), equivalent to (, 111.33 billion) when adjusted for inflation. By 1986, India's annual film output had increased from 741 films produced annually to 833 films annually, making India the world's largest film producer. The most internationally acclaimed Hindi film of the 1980s was Mira Nair's ''Salaam Bombay!'' (1988), which won the Camera d'Or at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the

New Hindi cinema (1990s–2000s)

Hindi cinema experienced another period of stagnation during the late 1980s with a box-office decline due to increasing violence, a decline in musical quality, and a rise in video piracy. One of the turning points came with such films as ''Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak'' (1988), presenting a blend of youthfulness, family entertainment, emotional intelligence and strong melodies, all of which lured audiences back to the big screen. It brought back the template for Bollywood musical romance films which went on to define 1990s Hindi cinema. Known since the 1990s as "New Bollywood", contemporary Bollywood is linked to economic liberalisation in India, economic liberalization in India during the early 1990s. Early in the decade, the pendulum swung back toward family-centered romantic musicals. ''Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak'' (1988) was followed by blockbusters such as ''Maine Pyar Kiya'' (1989), ''Hum Aapke Hain Kaun'' (1994), ''Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge'' (1995), ''Raja Hindustani'' (1996), ''Dil To Pagal Hai'' (1997) and ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'' (1998), introducing a new generation of popular actors, including the Khans of Bollywood, three Khans: Aamir Khan,

, and Salman Khan, who have starred in most of the top ten List of highest-grossing Bollywood films, highest-grossing Bollywood films. Khans of Bollywood, The Khans and have had successful careers since the late 1980s and early 1990s, and have dominated the Indian box office for three decades. Shah Rukh Khan was the most successful Indian actor for most of the 1990s and 2000s, and Aamir Khan has been the most successful Indian actor since the mid 2000s. Action and comedy films, starring such actors as Akshay Kumar and Govinda (actor), Govinda. The decade marked the entrance of new performers in Art film, art and independent films, some of which were commercially successful. The most influential example was ''Satya (1998 film), Satya'' (1998), directed by Ram Gopal Varma and written by Anurag Kashyap. Its critical and commercial success led to the emergence of a genre known as

noir: urban films reflecting the city's social problems. This led to a resurgence of

by the end of the decade. The films featured actors whose performances were often praised by critics. Salman's Being Human show at HDIL India Couture Week 2010 (1)

Salman's Being Human show at HDIL India Couture Week 2010 (1)

The 2000s saw increased Bollywood recognition worldwide due to growing (and prospering) Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin, NRI and Desi communities overseas. The growth of the Indian economy and a demand for quality entertainment in this era led the country's film industry to new heights in production values, cinematography and screenwriting as well as technical advances in areas such as special effects and animation.Anita N. Wadhwani
"Bollywood Mania" Rising in United States
. US State Department. (9 August 2006). Retrieved 29 July 2010. Some of the largest production houses, among them Yash Raj Films and Dharma Productions were the producers of new modern films. Some popular films of the decade were ''Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai'' (2000), ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'' (2001), ''Gadar: Ek Prem Katha'' (2001), ''Lagaan'' (2001), ''Koi... Mil Gaya'' (2003), ''Kal Ho Naa Ho'' (2003), ''Veer-Zaara'' (2004), ''Rang De Basanti'' (2006), ''Lage Raho Munna Bhai'' (2006), ''Dhoom 2'' (2006), ''Krrish'' (2006), and ''Jab We Met'' (2007), among others, showing the rise of new movie stars. During the 2010s, the industry saw established stars such as making big-budget

s like ''Dabangg'' (2010), ''Singham'' (2011)'','' ''Ek Tha Tiger'' (2012), ''Son of Sardaar'' (2012), ''Rowdy Rathore'' (2012), ''Chennai Express'' (2013), ''Kick (2014 film), Kick'' (2014) and ''Happy New Year (2014 film), Happy New Year'' (2014) with much-younger actresses. Although the films were often not praised by critics, they were commercially successful. Some of the films starring Aamir Khan, from ''Taare Zameen Par'' (2007) and ''3 Idiots'' (2009) to ''Dangal (film), Dangal'' (2016) and ''Secret Superstar'' (2018), have been credited with redefining and modernising the masala film with a distinct brand of socially conscious cinema. Most stars from the 2000s continued successful careers into the next decade, and the 2010s saw a new generation of popular actors in different films. Among new conventions, female-centred films such as ''The Dirty Picture'' (2011), ''Kahaani'' (2012), and ''Queen (2014 film), Queen'' (2014), ''Parched'' (2015), Pink (2016 film), Pink (2016) started gaining wide financial success. Akshay Kumar

Ajay Devgn, Rohit Shetty on the sets of 'Jhalak Dikhhlaa Jaa 5'

Influences on Hindi cinema

Moti Gokulsing and Wimal Dissanayake identify six major influences which have shaped Indian popular cinema: * The branching structures of ancient Indian epic poetry, Indian epics, like the ''Mahabharata'' and ''Ramayana''. Indian popular films often have plots which branch off into sub-plots. * Ancient Sanskrit drama, with its stylised nature and emphasis on spectacle in which Classical Indian music, music, Classical Indian dance, dance and gesture combine "to create a vibrant artistic unit with dance and mime being central to the dramatic experience." Matthew Jones of De Montfort University also identifies the Sanskrit concept of ''Rasa (aesthetics), rasa'', or "the emotions felt by the audience as a result of the actor’s presentation", as crucial to Bollywood films. * Traditional theater of India, folk theater, which became popular around the 10th century with the decline of Sanskrit theater. Its regional traditions include the Jatra (theatre), Jatra of

, the Ramlila of Uttar Pradesh, and the Terukkuttu of Tamil Nadu. * Parsi theatre, which "blended realism and fantasy, music and dance, narrative and spectacle, earthy dialogue and ingenuity of stage presentation, integrating them into a dramatic discourse of

. The Parsi plays contained crude humour, melodious songs and music, sensationalism and dazzling stagecraft." *

, where musicals were popular from the 1920s to the 1950s. * Western musical television (particularly MTV), which has had an increasing influence since the 1990s. Its pace, camera angles, dance sequences and music may be seen in 2000s Indian films. An early example of this approach was Mani Ratnam's ''Bombay (film), Bombay'' (1995). Sharmistha Gooptu identifies Indo-Persian culture, Indo-Persian-Islamic culture as a major influence. During the early 20th century,

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

of popular cultural performance across northern India and established in popular performance art traditions such as nautch dancing, Urdu poetry, and Parsi theater. Urdu and related Hindi dialects were the most widely understood across northern India, and Hindustani became the standard language of early Indian talkies. Films based on "Persianate adventure-romances" led to a popular genre of "''Arabian Nights'' cinema". Scholars Chaudhuri Diptakirti and Rachel Dwyer and screenwriter Javed Akhtar identify Urdu literature as a major influence on Hindi cinema. Most of the screenwriters and scriptwriters of classic Hindi cinema came from Urdu literary backgrounds, from

and Akhtar ul Iman to Salim–Javed and Rahi Masoom Raza; a handful came from other Indian literature, Indian literary traditions, such as Bengali literature, Bengali and Hindi literature. Most of Hindi cinema's classic scriptwriters wrote primarily in Urdu, including Salim-Javed, Gulzar, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Inder Raj Anand, Rahi Masoom Raza and Wajahat Mirza. Urdu poetry and the ghazal tradition strongly influenced filmi (Music of Bollywood, Bollywood lyrics). Javed Akhtar was also greatly influenced by Urdu literature, Urdu novels by Pakistani author Ibn-e-Safi, such as the ''Jasoosi Dunya'' and Imran series, ''Imran'' series of detective novels; they inspired, for example, famous Bollywood characters such as Gabbar Singh (character), Gabbar Singh in ''Sholay'' (1975) and Mogambo in ''Mr. India (1987 film), Mr. India'' (1987). Todd Stadtman identifies several foreign influences on 1970s commercial Bollywood

s, including New Hollywood, Italian exploitation films, and Hong Kong martial arts cinema. After the success of Bruce Lee films (such as ''Enter the Dragon'') in India, ''Deewaar'' (1975) and other Bollywood films incorporated fight scenes inspired by 1970s martial arts films from Hong Kong cinema until the 1990s. Bollywood action scenes emulated Hong Kong rather than Hollywood, emphasising acrobatics and Stunt performer, stunts and combining kung fu (as perceived by Indians) with Indian martial arts such as pehlwani.

Influence of Hindi cinema

India

Perhaps Hindi cinema's greatest influence has been on India's national identity, where (with the rest of Indian cinema) it has become part of the "Indian story". In India, Bollywood is often associated with India's national identity. According to economist and Bollywood biographer Meghnad Desai, Baron Desai, Meghnad Desai, "Cinema actually has been the most vibrant medium for telling India its own story, the story of its struggle for independence, its constant struggle to achieve national integration and to emerge as a global presence". Scholar Brigitte Schulze has written that Indian films, most notably

Mehboob Khan Mehboob Khan (born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan; 9 September 1907
at filmreference.com. – 28 ...

's ''

'' (1957), played a key role in shaping the

's national identity in the early years after Indian independence movement, independence from the British Raj; the film conveyed a sense of Indian nationalism to urban and rural citizens alike. Bollywood has long influenced Indian society and culture as the biggest entertainment industry; many of the country's musical, dancing, wedding and fashion trends are Bollywood-inspired. Bollywood fashion trendsetters have included

in ''

'' (1960) and Madhuri Dixit in ''Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!'' (1994). Hindi films have also had a socio-political impact on Indian society, reflecting Indian politics. In classic 1970s Bollywood films, Bombay underworld crime films written by Salim–Javed and starring

such as ''Zanjeer (1973 film), Zanjeer'' (1973) and ''Deewaar'' (1975) reflected the socio-economic and socio-political realities of contemporary India. They channeled growing popular discontent and disillusionment and state failure to ensure welfare and well-being at a time of inflation, shortages, loss of confidence in public institutions, increasing crime and the unprecedented growth of slums. Salim-Javed and Bachchan's films dealt with urban poverty, corruption and organised crime; they were perceived by audiences as anti-establishment, often with an "angry young man" protagonist presented as a vigilante or anti-hero whose suppressed rage voiced the anguish of the urban poor.

Overseas

Hindi films have been a significant form of soft power for India, increasing its influence and changing overseas perceptions of India. In Germany, Stereotypes of South Asians, Indian stereotypes included bullock carts, beggars, sacred cows, corrupt politicians, and catastrophes before Bollywood and the Information technology in India, IT industry transformed global perceptions of India. According to author Roopa Swaminathan, "Bollywood cinema is one of the strongest global cultural ambassadors of a new India." Its role in expanding India's global influence is comparable to Hollywood's similar role with American influence. Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey#Demographics, Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, New Jersey, in Indians in the New York City metropolitan area#Demographics, the New York metropolitan area, has been profoundly impacted by Bollywood; this U.S. township has displayed one of the fastest growth rates of its Indian population in the Western Hemisphere, increasing from 256 (0.9%) as of the 2000 Census to an estimated 5,943 (13.6%) as of 2017, representing a 2,221.5% (a multiple of 23) numerical increase over that period, including many affluence, affluent professionals and senior citizens as well as charitable contribution, charitable benefactors to the COVID-19 pandemic in India, COVID-19 relief efforts in India in official coordination with Monroe Township, as well as actors with second homes. During the 2000s, Hindi cinema began influencing

s in the Western world and was instrumental role in reviving the American musical film. Baz Luhrmann said that his musical film, ''Moulin Rouge!'' (2001), was inspired by Bollywood musicals; the film incorporated a Bollywood-style dance scene with a song from the film ''China Gate (1998 film), China Gate''. The critical and financial success of ''Moulin Rouge!'' began a renaissance of Western musical films such as ''Chicago (2002 film), Chicago'', ''Rent (film), Rent'', and ''Dreamgirls (film), Dreamgirls''. Indian film composer A. R. Rahman wrote the music for Andrew Lloyd Webber's ''Bombay Dreams'', and a musical version of ''Hum Aapke Hain Koun'' was staged in London's West End. The sports film ''Lagaan'' (2001) was nominated for the

, and two other Hindi films (2002's ''Devdas (2002 Hindi film), Devdas'' and 2006's ''Rang De Basanti'') were nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language. Danny Boyle's ''Slumdog Millionaire'' (2008), which won four 66th Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globes and 81st Academy Awards nominees and winners, eight Academy Awards, was inspired by mainstream Hindi films and is considered an "homage to Hindi commercial cinema". It was also inspired by Mumbai-underworld crime films, such as ''Deewaar'' (1975), ''Satya (1998 film), Satya'' (1998), ''Company (2002 film), Company'' (2002) and ''Black Friday (2007 film), Black Friday'' (2007). ''Deewaar'' had a Hong Kong remake, ''The Brothers (1979 film), The Brothers'' (1979), which inspired John Woo's internationally acclaimed breakthrough ''A Better Tomorrow'' (1986); the latter was a template for Hong Kong action cinema's heroic bloodshed genre. "Angry young man" 1970s epics such as ''Deewaar'' and ''Amar Akbar Anthony'' (1977) also resemble the heroic-bloodshed genre of 1980s Hong Kong action cinema. The influence of ''filmi'' may be seen in popular music worldwide. Electropop, Technopop pioneers Haruomi Hosono and Ryuichi Sakamoto of the Yellow Magic Orchestra produced a 1978 Electronic music, electronic album, ''Cochin Moon'', based on an Experimental music, experimental Fusion (music), fusion of electronic music and Bollywood-inspired Indian music. Truth Hurts (singer), Truth Hurts' 2002 song "Addictive (song), Addictive", produced by DJ Quik and Dr. Dre, was lifted from Lata Mangeshkar's "Thoda Resham Lagta Hai" in ''Jyoti'' (1981). The Black Eyed Peas' Grammy Award winning 2005 song "Don't Phunk with My Heart" was inspired by two 1970s Bollywood songs: "Ye Mera Dil Yaar Ka Diwana" from ''Don (1978 film), Don'' (1978) and "Ae Nujawan Hai Sub" from ''Apradh'' (1972). Both songs were composed by Kalyanji Anandji, sung by Asha Bhosle, and featured the dancer Helen (actress), Helen. The Kronos Quartet re-recorded several R. D. Burman compositions sung by Asha Bhosle for their 2005 album, ''You've Stolen My Heart (album), You've Stolen My Heart: Songs from R.D. Burman's Bollywood'', which was nominated for Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 2006 Grammy Awards. ''Filmi'' music composed by A. R. Rahman (who received two Academy Awards for the Slumdog Millionaire (soundtrack), ''Slumdog Millionaire'' soundtrack) has frequently been sampled by other musicians, including the Singaporean artist Kelly Poon, the French rap group La Caution and the American artist Ciara. Many Asian Underground artists, particularly those among the Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin, overseas Indian diaspora, have also been inspired by Bollywood music.

Genres

Hindi films are primarily musicals, and are expected to have catchy song-and-dance numbers woven into the script. A film's success often depends on the quality of such musical numbers. A film's music and song and dance portions are usually produced first and these are often released before the film itself, increasing its audience. Indian audiences expect value for money, and a good film is generally referred to as ''paisa vasool'', (literally "money's worth"). Songs, dances, love triangles, comedy and dare-devil thrills are combined in a three-hour show (with an intermission). These are called ''

s'', after the Hindi word for a spice mixture. Like ''masalas'', they are a mixture of action, comedy and romance; most have heroes who can fight off villains single-handedly. Bollywood plots have tended to be melodramatic, frequently using formulaic ingredients such as star-crossed lovers, angry parents, love triangles, family ties, sacrifice, political corruption, kidnapping, villains, Hooker with a heart of gold, kind-hearted courtesans, long-lost relatives and siblings, reversals of fortune and serendipity. Parallel cinema films tended to be less popular at the box office. A large Indian diaspora in English-speaking countries and increased Western culture, Western influence in India have nudged Bollywood films closer to Hollywood. According to film critic Lata Khubchandani, "Our earliest films ... had liberal doses of sex and kissing scenes in them. Strangely, it was after Independence the censor board came into being and so did all the strictures." Although Bollywood plots feature Westernised urbanites dating and dancing in clubs rather than pre-arranged marriages, traditional Indian culture continues to exist outside the industry and is an element of resistance by some to Western influences. Bollywood plays a major role, however, in fashion in India, Indian fashion. Studies have indicated that some people, unaware that changing fashion in Bollywood films is often influenced by globalisation, consider the clothes worn by Bollywood actors as authentically Indian.

Casts and crews

Bollywood employs people from throughout India. It attracts thousands of aspiring actors hoping for a break in the industry. Models and beauty contestants, television actors, stage actors and ordinary people come to Mumbai with the hope of becoming a star. As in Hollywood, very few succeed. Since many Bollywood films are shot abroad, many foreign extras are employed. Very few non-Indian actors are able to make a mark in Bollywood, although many have tried. Hindi cinema can be insular, and relatives of film-industry figures have an edge in obtaining coveted roles in films or being part of a film crew. However, industry connections are no guarantee of a long career: competition is fierce, and film-industry scions will falter if they do not succeed at the box office. Stars such as

, Dharmendra,

, Rajesh Khanna, Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai and

lacked show-business connections.

Dialogues and lyrics

Film scripts (known as dialogues in Indian English) and their song lyrics are often written by different people. Earlier, scripts were usually written in an unadorned Hindustani, which would be understood by the largest possible audience. Post-Independence, Hindi films tended to use a colloquial register of Hindustani, mutually intelligible by

and

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

Some films have used Hindi dialects, regional dialects to evoke a village setting, or archaic Urdu in Medieval India, medieval historical films. A number of the dominant early scriptwriters of Hindi cinema primarily wrote in Urdu; Salim-Javed wrote in Urdu script, which was then transcribed by an assistant into Devanagari script so Hindi readers could read them. During the 1970s, Urdu writers Krishan Chander and Ismat Chughtai said that "more than seventy-five per cent of films are made in Urdu" but were categorised as Hindi films by the government. ''Encyclopedia of Hindi Cinema'' noted a number of top Urdu writers for preserving the language through film. Urdu poetry has strongly influenced Hindi film music, Hindi film songs, whose lyrics also draw from the ghazal tradition (filmi-ghazal). According to Javed Akhtar in 1996, despite the loss of Urdu in Indian society, Urdu diction dominated Hindi film dialogue and lyrics. In her book, ''The Cinematic ImagiNation'', Jyotika Virdi wrote about the presence and decline of Urdu in Hindi films. Virdi notes that although Urdu was widely used in classic Hindi cinema decades after partition because it was widely taught in pre-Partition of India, partition India, its use has declined in modern Hindi cinema: "The extent of Urdu used in commercial Hindi cinema has not been stable ... the ultimate victory of Hindi in the official sphere has been more or less complete. This decline of Urdu is mirrored in Hindi films ... It is true that many Urdu words have survived and have become part of Hindi cinema's popular vocabulary. But that is as far as it goes. The fact is, for the most part, popular Hindi cinema has forsaken the florid Urdu that was part of its extravagance and retained a 'residual' Urdu", affected by an aggressive state policy that promoted a Sanskritized version of Hindi as the national language." Contemporary mainstream films also use English; according to the article "Bollywood Audiences Editorial", "English has begun to challenge the ideological work done by Urdu." Some film scripts are first written in Latin script. Characters may shift from one language to the other to evoke a particular atmosphere (for example, English in a business setting and Hindi in an informal one). The blend of Hindi and English sometimes heard in modern Hindi films, known as

, has become increasingly common. For years before the turn of the millennium and even after, cinematic language (in dialogues or lyrics) would often be melodramatic, invoking God, family, mother, duty, and self-sacrifice. Song lyrics are often about love and, especially in older films, frequently used the poetic vocabulary of court Urdu, with a number of Persian language, Persian loanwords. Another source for love lyrics in films such as ''Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje'' and ''Lagaan'' is the long Hindu tradition of poetry about the loves of Krishna, Radha, and the gopis. Music directors often prefer working with certain lyricists, and the lyricist and composer may be seen as a team. This phenomenon has been compared to the pairs of American composers and songwriters who created classic Broadway musicals.

Sound

Sound in early Bollywood films was usually not recorded on location (sync sound). It was usually created (or re-created) in the studio, with the actors Dubbing (filmmaking), speaking their lines in the studio and Foley (filmmaking), sound effects added later; this created synchronisation problems. Commercial Indian films are known for their lack of ambient sound, and the Arri, Arriflex 3 camera necessitated dubbing. ''Lagaan'' (2001) was filmed with sync sound, and several Bollywood films have recorded on-location sound since then.

Female makeup artists

In 1955, the Bollywood Cine Costume Make-Up Artist & Hair Dressers' Association (CCMAA) ruled that female makeup artists were barred from membership. The Supreme Court of India ruled in 2014 that the ban violated Indian constitutional guarantees under Article 14 (right to equality), 19(1)(g) (freedom to work) and Article 21 (right to liberty). According to the court, the ban had no "rationale nexus" to the cause sought to be achieved and was "unacceptable, impermissible and inconsistent" with the constitutional rights guaranteed to India's citizens. The court also found illegal the rule which mandated that for any artist to work in the industry, they must have lived for five years in the state where they intend to work. In 2015, it was announced that Charu Khurana was the first woman registered by the Cine Costume Make-Up Artist & Hair Dressers' Association.

Song and dance

Bollywood film music is called ''filmi'' (from the Hindi "of films"). Bollywood songs were introduced with Ardeshir Irani's ''Alam Ara'' (1931) song, "De De Khuda Ke Naam pay pyaare". Bollywood songs are generally pre-recorded by professional playback singers, with the actors then lip syncing the words to the song on-screen (often while dancing). Although most actors are good dancers, few are also singers; a notable exception was Kishore Kumar, who starred in several major films during the 1950s while having a rewarding career as a playback singer. Kundan Lal Saigal, K. L. Saigal, Suraiyya, and Noor Jehan were known as singers and actors, and some actors in the last thirty years have sung one or more songs themselves. Songs can make and break a film, determining whether it will be a flop or a hit: "Few films without successful musical tracks, and even fewer without any songs and dances, succeed". Globalization has changed Bollywood music, with lyrics an increasing mix of Hindi and English. Global trends such as salsa, pop and hip hop have influenced the music heard in Bollywood films. Playback singers are featured in the opening credits, and have fans who will see an otherwise-lackluster film to hear their favourites. Notable singers are Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Geeta Dutt,

, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Sadhana Sargam, Alka Yagnik and Shreya Goshal (female), and K. L. Saigal, Kishore Kumar, Talat Mahmood, Mukesh (singer), Mukesh,

, Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar, Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan and Sonu Nigam (male). Composers of film music, known as music directors, are also well-known. Remixing of film songs with modern rhythms is common, and producers may release remixed versions of some of their films' songs with the films' soundtrack albums. Dancing in Bollywood films, especially older films, is modeled on Indian dance: classical dance, dances of north-Indian courtesans (tawaif) or folk dances. In modern films, Indian dance blends with Western dance styles as seen on MTV or in Broadway musicals; Western pop and classical-dance numbers are commonly seen side-by-side in the same film. The hero (or heroine) often performs with a troupe of supporting dancers. Many song-and-dance routines in Indian films contain unrealistically-quick shifts of location or changes of costume between verses of a song. If the hero and heroine dance and sing a duet, it is often staged in natural surroundings or architecturally-grand settings. Songs typically comment on the action taking place in the film. A song may be worked into the plot, so a character has a reason to sing. It may externalise a character's thoughts, or presage an event in the film (such as two characters falling in love). The songs are often referred to as a "dream sequence", with things happening which would not normally happen in the real world. Song and dance scenes were often filmed in Kashmir but, due to political unrest in Kashmir since the end of the 1980s, they have been shot in western Europe (particularly Switzerland and Austria). Contemporary movie stars attracted popularity as dancers, including Madhuri Dixit, Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sridevi, Meenakshi Seshadri, Malaika Arora Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Tiger Shroff. Older dancers include Helen (actress), Helen (known for her cabaret numbers),

, Vyjanthimala, Padmini (actress), Padmini, Hema Malini, Mumtaz (actress), Mumtaz, Cuckoo Moray, Parveen Babi Waheeda Rehman, , Waheeda Rahman,

, and Shammi Kapoor. Film producers have been releasing soundtracks (as tapes or CDs) before a film's release, hoping that the music will attract audiences; a soundtrack is often more popular than its film. Some producers also release music videos, usually (but not always) with a song from the film.

Finances

Bollywood films are multi-million dollar productions, with the most expensive productions costing up to 1 billion (about US$20 million). The science-fiction film ''Ra.One'' was made on a budget of 1.35 billion (about $27 million), making it the most expensive Bollywood film of all time. Set (drama), Sets, costumes, special effects and cinematography were less than world-class, with some notable exceptions, until the mid-to-late 1990s. As Western films and television are more widely distributed in India, there is increased pressure for Bollywood films to reach the same production levels (particularly in action and special effects). Recent Bollywood films, like ''Krrish'' (2006), have employed international technicians such as Hong Kong-based action choreographer Tony Ching Siu-Tung, Tony Ching. The increasing accessibility of professional action and special effects, coupled with rising film budgets, have seen an increase in action and science-fiction films. Since overseas scenes are attractive at the box office, Mumbai film crews are filming in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Europe and elsewhere. Indian producers have also obtained funding for big-budget films shot in India, such as ''Lagaan'' and ''Devdas (2002 Hindi film), Devdas''. Funding for Bollywood films often comes from private distributors and a few large Movie studio, studios. Although Indian banks and financial institutions had been forbidden from lending to film studios, the ban has been lifted. Finances are not regulated; some funding comes from illegitimate sources such as the Mumbai underworld, which is known to influence several prominent film personalities. Mumbai organised-crime hitmen shot Rakesh Roshan, a film director and father of star Hrithik Roshan, in January 2000. In 2001, the Central Bureau of Investigation seized all prints of ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'' after the film was found to be funded by members of the Mumbai underworld. Another problem facing Bollywood is widespread copyright infringement of its films. Often, bootleg DVD#DVD Video, DVD copies of movies are available before they are released in cinemas. Manufacturing of bootleg DVD, VCD, and VHS copies of the latest movie titles is an established small-scale industry in parts of south and southeast Asia. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) estimates that the Bollywood industry loses $100 million annually from unlicensed home videos and DVDs. In addition to the homegrown market, demand for these copies is large amongst portions of the Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin, Indian diaspora. Bootleg copies are the only way people in Pakistan can watch Bollywood movies, since the Pakistani government has banned their sale, distribution and telecast. Films are frequently broadcast without compensation by small cable-TV companies in India and other parts of South Asia. Small convenience stores, run by members of the Indian diaspora in the US and the UK, regularly stock tapes and DVDs of dubious provenance; consumer copying adds to the problem. The availability of illegal copies of movies on the Internet also contributes to industry losses. Satellite TV, television and imported foreign films are making inroads into the domestic Indian entertainment market. In the past, most Bollywood films could make money; now, fewer do. Most Bollywood producers make money, however, recouping their investments from many sources of revenue (including the sale of ancillary rights). There are increasing returns from theatres in Western countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, where Bollywood is slowly being noticed. As more Indians migrate to these countries, they form a growing market for upscale Indian films. In 2002, Bollywood sold 3.6 billion tickets and had a total revenue (including theatre tickets, DVDs and television) of $1.3 billion; Hollywood films sold 2.6 billion tickets, and had a total revenue of $51 billion.

Advertising

A number of Indian artists hand-painted movie billboards and posters. M. F. Husain painted film posters early in his career; human labour was found to be cheaper than printing and distributing publicity material. Most of the large, ubiquitous billboards in India's major cities are now created with computer-printed vinyl. Old hand-painted posters, once considered ephemera, are collectible folk art. Releasing film music, or music videos, before a film's release may be considered a form of advertising. A popular tune is believed to help attract audiences. Bollywood publicists use the Internet as a venue for advertising. Most bigger-budget films have a websites on which audiences can view trailers, stills and information on the story, cast, and crew. Bollywood is also used to advertise other products. Product placement, used in Hollywood, is also common in Bollywood.

International filming

Bollywood's increasing use of international settings such as Switzerland, London, Paris, New York, Mexico, Brazil and Singapore does not necessarily represent the people and cultures of those locales. Contrary to these spaces and geographies being filmed as they are, they are actually Indianised by adding Bollywood actors and Hindi speaking extras to them. While immersing in Bollywood films, viewers get to see their local experiences duplicated in different locations around the world. According to Shakuntala Rao, "Media representation can depict India's shifting relation with the world economy, but must retain its 'Indianness' in moments of dynamic hybridity"; "Indianness" (cultural identity) poses a problem with Bollywood's popularity among varied diaspora audiences, but gives its domestic audience a sense of uniqueness from other immigrant groups.

Awards

The Filmfare Awards are some of the most prominent awards given to Hindi films in India. The Indian screen magazine ''Filmfare'' began the awards in 1954 (recognising the best films of 1953), and they were originally known as the Clare Awards after the magazine's editor. Modeled on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' poll-based merit format, individuals may vote in separate categories. A dual voting system was developed in 1956. The National Film Awards were also introduced in 1954. The Indian government has sponsored the awards, given by its Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF), since 1973. The DFF screens Bollywood films, films from the other regional movie industries, and independent/art films. The awards are made at an annual ceremony presided over by the president of India. Unlike the Filmfare Awards, which are chosen by the public and a committee of experts, the National Film Awards are decided by a government panel. Other awards ceremonies for Hindi films in India are the Screen Awards (begun in 1995) and the Stardust Awards, which began in 2003. The International Indian Film Academy Awards (begun in 2000) and the Zee Cine Awards, begun in 1998, are held abroad in a different country each year.

Global markets

In addition to their popularity among the Indian diaspora from Nigeria and Senegal to Egypt and Russia, generations of non-Indians have grown up with Bollywood. Indian cinema's early contacts with other regions made inroads into the Soviet Union, the Middle East, Southeast Asia,Desai, 38 and China. Bollywood entered the consciousness of Western audiences and producers during the late 20th century,Can new money create a world-class film industry in India?
Business Week. and Western actors now seek roles in Bollywood films.

Asia-Pacific

South Asia

Bollywood films are also popular in

, Bangladesh, and Nepal, where Hindustani is widely understood. Many Pakistanis understand Hindi, due to its linguistic similarity to

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

Although Pakistan banned the import of Bollywood films in 1965, trade in unlicensed DVDs and illegal cable broadcasts ensured their continued popularity. Exceptions to the ban were made for a few films, such as the colourised re-release of ''

'' and ''Taj Mahal'' in 2006. Early in 2008, the Pakistani government permitted the import of 16 films. More easing followed in 2009 and 2010. Although it is opposed by nationalists and representatives of Pakistan's small film industry, it is embraced by cinema owners who are making a profit after years of low receipts. The most popular actors in Pakistan are the three Khans of Bollywood: Salman Khan, Salman, Shah Rukh Khan, Shah Rukh, and Aamir Khan, Aamir. The most popular actress is Madhuri Dixit; at India–Pakistan cricket rivalry, India-Pakistan cricket matches during the 1990s, Pakistani fans chanted "''Madhuri dedo, Kashmir lelo!''" ("Give Madhuri, take Kashmir!") Bollywood films in Nepal earn more than Cinema of Nepal, Nepali films, and Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan are popular in the country. The films are also popular in Afghanistan due to its proximity to the Indian subcontinent and their cultural similarities, particularly in music. Popular actors include Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgan, Sunny Deol, Aishwarya Rai, Preity Zinta, and Madhuri Dixit. A number of Bollywood films were filmed in Afghanistan and some dealt with the country, including ''Dharmatma'', ''Kabul Express'', ''Khuda Gawah'' and ''Escape From Taliban''.

Southeast Asia

Bollywood films are popular in Southeast Asia, particularly in maritime Southeast Asia. The three Khans are very popular in the Malay world, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The films are also fairly popular in Thailand. India has Indosphere, cultural ties with Indonesia, and Bollywood films were introduced to the country at the end of

in 1945. The "angry young man" films of

and Salim–Javed were popular during the 1970s and 1980s before Bollywood's popularity began gradually declining in the 1980s and 1990s. It experienced an Indonesian revival with the release of Shah Rukh Khan's ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'' (1998) in 2001, which was a bigger box-office success in the country than ''Titanic (1997 film), Titanic'' (1997). Bollywood has had a strong presence in Indonesia since then, particularly Shah Rukh Khan films such as ''Mohabbatein'' (2000), ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'' (2001), ''Kal Ho Naa Ho'', ''Chalte Chalte (2003 film), Chalte Chalte'' and ''Koi... Mil Gaya'' (all 2003), and ''Veer-Zaara'' (2004).

East Asia

Some Bollywood films have been widely appreciated in China, Japan, and South Korea. Several Hindi films have been commercially successful in Japan, including

Mehboob Khan Mehboob Khan (born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan; 9 September 1907
at filmreference.com. – 28 ...

's ''

'' (1952, starring

) and Aziz Mirza's ''Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman'' (1992, starring

). The latter sparked a two-year boom in Indian films after its 1997 release, with ''Dil Se..'' (1998) a beneficiary of the boom. The highest-grossing Hindi film in Japan is ''3 Idiots'' (2009), starring Aamir Khan, which received a Japanese Academy Award nomination. The film was also a critical and commercial success in South Korea. ''Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani'', ''Awara (1951 film), Awaara'', and ''

'' were successful in China during the 1940s and 1950s, and remain popular with their original audience. Few Indian films were commercially successful in the country during the 1970s and 1980s, among them Tahir Hussain's ''Caravan (1971 film), Caravan'', ''Noorie'' and ''Disco Dancer''. Indian film stars popular in China included Raj Kapoor,

, and Mithun Chakraborty. Hindi films declined significantly in popularity in China during the 1980s. Films by Aamir Khan have recently been successful, and ''Lagaan'' was the first Indian film with a nationwide Chinese release in 2011. Cinema of China, Chinese filmmaker He Ping (director), He Ping was impressed by ''Lagaan'' (particularly its soundtrack), and hired its composer A. R. Rahman to score his ''Warriors of Heaven and Earth'' (2003). When ''3 Idiots'' was released in China, China was the Aamir Khan, world's 15th-largest film market (partly due to its widespread pirate DVD distribution at the time). The pirate market introduced the film to Chinese audiences, however, and it became a cult hit. According to the Douban film-review site, ''3 Idiots'' is China's 12th-most-popular film of all time; only one domestic Chinese film (''Farewell My Concubine (film), Farewell My Concubine'') ranks higher, and Aamir Khan acquired a large Chinese fan base as a result. After ''3 Idiots'', several of Khan's other films (including 2007's ''Taare Zameen Par'' and 2008's ''Ghajini (2008 film), Ghajini'') also developed cult followings. China became the world's second-largest film market (after the United States) by 2013, paving the way for Khan's box-office success with ''Dhoom 3'' (2013), ''PK (film), PK'' (2014), and ''Dangal (film), Dangal'' (2016). The latter is the List of highest-grossing films in China, 16th-highest-grossing film in China, the fifth-highest-grossing non-English language film worldwide, and the highest-grossing non-English foreign film in any market. Several Khan films, including ''Taare Zameen Par'', ''3 Idiots'', and ''Dangal'', are highly rated on Douban. His next film, ''Secret Superstar'' (2017, starring Zaira Wasim), broke ''Dangal''s record for the highest-grossing opening weekend by an Indian film and cemented Khan's status as "a king of the Chinese box office"; ''Secret Superstar'' was China's highest-grossing foreign film of 2018 to date. Khan has become a household name in China, with his success described as a form of Indian soft power improving China–India relations despite political tensions. With Bollywood competing with Hollywood in the Chinese market, the success of Khan's films has driven up the price for Chinese distributors of Indian film imports. Salman Khan's ''Bajrangi Bhaijaan'' and Irrfan Khan's ''Hindi Medium'' were also Chinese hits in early 2018.

Oceania

Although Bollywood is less successful on some Pacific islands such as New Guinea, it ranks second to Hollywood in Fiji (with its large Indian minority), Australia and New Zealand. Australia also has a large South Asian diaspora, and Bollywood is popular amongst non-Asians in the country as well. Since 1997, the country has been a backdrop for an increasing number of Bollywood films. Indian filmmakers, attracted to Australia's diverse locations and landscapes, initially used the country as a setting for song-and-dance scenes; however, Australian locations now figure in Bollywood film plots. Hindi films shot in Australia usually incorporate Australian culture. Yash Raj Films' ''Salaam Namaste'' (2005), the first Indian film shot entirely in Australia, was the most successful Bollywood film of 2005 in that country. It was followed by the box-office successes ''Heyy Babyy'', (2007) ''Chak De! India'' (2007), and ''Singh Is Kinng'' (2008). Prime Minister John Howard said during a visit to India after the release of ''Salaam Namaste'' that he wanted to encourage Indian filmmaking in Australia to increase tourism, and he appointed Steve Waugh as tourism ambassador to India. Australian actress Tania Zaetta, who appeared in ''Salaam Namaste'' and several other Bollywood films, was eager to expand her career in Bollywood.

Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Bollywood films are popular in the former Soviet Union (Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia), and have been dubbed into Russian language, Russian. Indian films were List of Soviet films of the year by ticket sales, more popular in the Soviet Union than Hollywood films''Moscow Prime Time: How the Soviet Union Built the Media Empire that Lost the Cultural Cold War'', page 44
Cornell University Press, 2011 and, sometimes, domestic Soviet films. The first Indian film released in the Soviet Union was ''

'' (1946), directed by

and based on the

, in 1949. Three hundred Indian films were released in the Soviet Union after that; most were Bollywood films with higher average audience figures than domestic Soviet productions. Fifty Indian films had over 20 million viewers, compared to 41 Hollywood films. Some, such as ''

'' (1951) and ''Disco Dancer'' (1982), had more than 60 million viewers and established actors

, Rishi Kapoor''Moscow Prime Time: How the Soviet Union Built the Media Empire that Lost the Cultural Cold War'', page 43
Cornell University Press, 2011 and Mithun Chakraborty in the country.Do you remember Jimmy Jimmy?
SBS One, SBS, 18 March 2017 According to diplomat Ashok Sharma, who served in the Commonwealth of Independent States, After the collapse of the Soviet film-distribution system, Hollywood filled the void in the Russian film market and Bollywood's market share shrank. A 2007 RT (TV network), Russia Today report noted a renewed interest in Bollywood by young Russians. In Poland,

has a large following. He was introduced to Polish audiences with the 2005 release of ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'' (2001) and his other films, including ''Dil Se..'' (1998), ''Main Hoon Na'' (2004) and ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'' (2006), became hits in the country. Bollywood films are often covered in ''Gazeta Wyborcza'', formerly Poland's largest newspaper. The upcoming movie ''Squad (2021 film), Squad'', is the first Indian film to be shot in Belarus. A majority of the film was shot at Belarusfilm studios, in Minsk.

Middle East and North Africa

Hindi films have become popular in Arab world, Arab countries, and imported Indian films are usually subtitled in Arabic when they are released. Bollywood has progressed in Israel since the early 2000s, with channels dedicated to Indian films on cable television; MBC Bollywood and Zee Aflam show Hindi movies and serials. In Egypt, Bollywood films were popular during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1987, however, they were restricted to a handful of films by the Egyptian government.

has remained popular in the country and Indian tourists visiting Egypt are asked, "Do you know Amitabh Bachchan?" Bollywood movies are regularly screened in Dubai cinemas, and Bollywood is becoming popular in Turkey; ''Barfi!'' was the first Hindi film to have a wide theatrical release in that country. Bollywood also has viewers in Central Asia (particularly Uzbekistan and Tajikistan).

South America

Bollywood films are not influential in most of South America, although its culture and dance is recognised. Due to significant South Asian diaspora communities in Suriname and Guyana, however, Hindi-language movies are popular. In 2006, ''Dhoom 2'' became the first Bollywood film to be shot in Rio de Janeiro. In January 2012, it was announced that UTV Motion Pictures would begin releasing films in Peru with ''Guzaarish (film), Guzaarish''.

Africa

Hindi films were originally distributed to some parts of Africa by Lebanese people, Lebanese businessmen. In the 1950s, Hindi and Egyptian films were generally more popular than Hollywood films in East Africa. By the 1960s, East Africa was one of the largest overseas export markets for Indian films, accounting for about 20-50% of global earnings for many Indian films. ''

'' (1957) continued to be screened in Nigeria decades after its release. Indian movies have influenced Hausa people, Hausa clothing, songs have been covered by Hausa singers, and stories have influenced Nigerian novelists. Stickers of Indian films and stars decorate taxis and buses in Nigeria's Northern Region, Nigeria, Northern Region, and posters of Indian films hang on the walls of tailoring shops and mechanics' garages. Unlike Europe and North America, where Indian films cater to the expatriate marke, Bollywood films became popular in West Africa despite the lack of a significant Indian audience. One possible explanation is cultural similarity: the wearing of turbans, animals in markets; porters carrying large bundles, and traditional wedding celebrations. Within Muslim culture, Indian movies were said to show "respect" toward women; Hollywood movies were seen as having "no shame". In Indian movies, women are modestly dressed; men and women rarely kiss and there is no nudity, so the films are said to "have culture" which Hollywood lacks. The latter "don't base themselves on the problems of the people"; Indian films are based on socialist values and the reality of developing countries emerging from years of colonialism. Indian movies permitted a new youth culture without "becoming Western." The first Indian film shot in Mauritius was ''Souten'', starring Rajesh Khanna, in 1983. In South Africa, film imports from India were watched by black and Indian South Africans, Indian audiences. Several Bollywood figures have travelled to Africa for films and off-camera projects. ''Padmashree Laloo Prasad Yadav'' (2005) was filmed in South Africa. ''Dil Jo Bhi Kahey...'' (2005) was also filmed almost entirely in Mauritius, which has a large ethnic-Indian population. Bollywood, however, seems to be diminishing in popularity in Africa. New Bollywood films are more sexually explicit and violent. Nigerian viewers observed that older films (from the 1950s and 1960s) had more culture and were less Westernised. The old days of India avidly "advocating decolonization ... and India's policy was wholly influenced by his missionary zeal to end racial domination and discrimination in the African territories" were replaced. The emergence of Nollywood (West Africa's film industry) has also contributed to the declining popularity of Bollywood films, as sexualised Indian films became more like American films. Kishore Kumar and

have been popular in Egypt and Somalia. In Ethiopia, Bollywood movies are shown with Hollywood productions in town square theatres such as the Cinema Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. Less-commercial Bollywood films are also screened elsewhere in North Africa.

Western Europe and North America

The first Indian film to be released in the Western world and receive mainstream attention was ''

'' (1952), directed by

Mehboob Khan Mehboob Khan (born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan; 9 September 1907
at filmreference.com. – 28 ...

and starring

and Nimmi. It was subtitled in 17 languages and released in 28 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and France. ''Aan'' received significant praise from British critics, and ''The Times'' compared it favourably to Hollywood productions. Mehboob Khan's later Academy Awards, Academy Award-nominated ''

'' (1957) was a success in overseas markets, including Europe, Russia, the Eastern Bloc, French colonial empire, French territories, and Latin America. Many Bollywood films have been commercially successful in the United Kingdom. The most successful Indian actor at the British box office has been

, whose popularity in British Asian communities played a key role in introducing Bollywood to the UK with films such as ''Darr'' (1993), ''Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge'' (1995), and ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'' (1998). ''Dil Se'' (1998) was the first Indian film to enter the UK top ten. A number of Indian films, such as ''Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge'' and ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'' (2001), have been set in London. Bollywood is also appreciated in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. Bollywood films are dubbed in German language, German and shown regularly on the German television channel RTL II. Germany is the second-largest European market for Indian films, after the United Kingdom. The most recognised Indian actor in Germany is Shah Rukh Khan, who has had box-office success in the country with films such as ''Don 2'' (2011) and ''Om Shanti Om'' (2007). He has a large German fan base, particularly in Berlin (where the tabloid ''Die Tageszeitung'' compared his popularity to that of the pope). Michelle Obama joins students for a Bollywood Dance Clinic in White House

Michelle Obama joins students for a Bollywood Dance Clinic in White House

Bollywood has experienced revenue growth in Canada and the United States, particularly in the South Asian communities of large cities such as Toronto, Chicago, and New York City. Yash Raj Films, one of India's largest production houses and distributors, reported in September 2005 that Bollywood films in the United States earned about $100 million per year in theatre screenings, video sales and the sale of movie soundtracks; Indian films earn more money in the United States than films from any other non-English speaking country. Since the mid-1990s, a number of Indian films have been largely (or entirely) shot in New York, Los Angeles, Vancouver or Toronto. Films such as ''The Guru (2002 film), The Guru'' (2002) and ''Marigold: An Adventure in India'' (2007) attempted to popularise Bollywood for Hollywood.

Plagiarism

Pressured by rushed production schedules and small budgets, some writers and musicians in Hindi cinema have been known to plagiarism, plagiarise. Ideas, plot lines, tunes or riffs have been copied from other Indian film industries (including

, Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema and others) or foreign films (including Hollywood and other Asian cinema, Asian films) without acknowledging the source. Before the 1990s, plagiarism occurred with impunity. Copyright enforcement was lax in India, and few actors or directors saw an official contract. The Hindi film industry was not widely known in the Global North (except in the Soviet states), who would be unaware that their material had been copied. Audiences may not have been aware of plagiarism, since many in India were unfamiliar with foreign films and music. Although copyright enforcement in India is still somewhat lenient, Bollywood and other film industries are more aware of each other and Indian audiences are more familiar with foreign films and music. Organisations such as the India EU Film Initiative seek to foster a community between filmmakers and industry professionals in India and the European Union. A commonly-reported justification for plagiarism in Bollywood is that cautious producers want to remake popular Hollywood films in an Indian context. Although screenwriters generally produce original scripts, many are rejected due to uncertainty about whether a film will be successful. Poorly-paid screenwriters have also been criticised for a lack of creativity. Some filmmakers see plagiarism in Bollywood as an integral part of globalisation, with which Western (particularly American) culture is embedding itself into Indian culture. Vikram Bhatt, director of ''Raaz (2002 film), Raaz'' (a remake of ''What Lies Beneath'') and ''Kasoor'' (a remake of ''Jagged Edge (film), Jagged Edge''), has spoken about the influence of American culture and Bollywood's desire to produce box-office hits based along the same lines: "Financially, I would be more secure knowing that a particular piece of work has already done well at the box office. Copying is endemic everywhere in India. Our TV shows are adaptations of American programmes. We want their films, their cars, their planes, their Diet Cokes and also their attitude. The American way of life is creeping into our culture." According to Mahesh Bhatt, "If you hide the source, you're a genius. There's no such thing as originality in the creative sphere". Although very few cases of film-copyright violations have been taken to court because of a slow legal process, the makers of ''Partner (2007 film), Partner'' (2007) and ''Zinda (film), Zinda'' (2005) were targeted by the owners and distributors of the original films: ''Hitch (film), Hitch'' and ''Oldboy (2003 film), Oldboy''. The American studio 20th Century Fox brought Mumbai-based B. R. Films to court over the latter's forthcoming ''Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai'', which Fox alleged was an illegal remake of ''My Cousin Vinny''. B. R. Films eventually settled out of court for about $200,000, paving the way for its film's release. Some studios comply with copyright law; in 2008, Orion Pictures secured the rights to remake Hollywood's ''Wedding Crashers''.

Music

The Pakistani Qawwali musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan had a big impact on Hindi film music, inspiring numerous Indian musicians working in Bollywood, especially during the 1990s. However, there were many instances of Indian music directors plagiarising Khan's music to produce hit filmi songs. Several popular examples include Viju Shah's hit song "Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast" in ''Mohra'' (1994) being plagiarised from Khan's popular Qawwali song "Dam Mast Qalandar", "Mera Piya Ghar Aya" used in ''Yaraana (1995 film), Yaarana'' (1995), and "Sanoo Ek Pal Chain Na Aaye" in ''Judaai (1997 film), Judaai'' (1997). Despite the significant number of hit Bollywood songs plagiarised from his music, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was reportedly tolerant towards the plagiarism. One of the Bollywood music directors who frequently plagiarised him, Anu Malik, claimed that he loved Khan's music and was actually showing admiration by using his tunes. However, Khan was reportedly aggrieved when Malik turned his spiritual "Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo" into "I Love You, I Love You" in ''Auzaar'' (1997). Khan said "he has taken my devotional song ''Allahu'' and converted it into ''I love you''. He should at least respect my religious songs." Bollywood soundtracks also plagiarised Guinean singer Mory Kanté, particularly his 1987 album ''Akwaba Beach''. His song, "Tama", inspired two Bollywood songs: Bappi Lahiri's "Tamma Tamma" in ''Thanedaar'' (1990) and "Jumma Chumma" in Laxmikant–Pyarelal's soundtrack for ''Hum (film), Hum'' (1991). The latter also featured "Ek Doosre Se", which copied Kanté's "Inch Allah". His song "Yé ké yé ké" was used as background music in the 1990 Bollywood film ''Agneepath (1990 film), Agneepath'', inspired the Music of Bollywood, Bollywood song "Tamma Tamma" in ''Thanedaar''.

References

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''National Geographic Magazine'': "Welcome to Bollywood"

National Institute Of Film and Fine Arts
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