I usually don’t see Indian film, even Bollywood films, but few Bollywood films I saw are very impressive in my memory. Like the film three idiots, produced in 2009, I do like this films, have seen this film for over five times. Three idiots this film is absolutely excellent otherwise I won’t spend my rare time on it. Since this film, this was my first time to get in touch with Indian Bollywood film, the Bollywood song and dance was the special thing I had never seen in other films, and it also gave me strong impression.
This is a film part of film named three idiots:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-LltgOtFSg
Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-LltgOtFSg
And other one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ1uLVgv3Vg
Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=yJ1uLVgv3Vg
There were two questions we discussed in class:
#1 Why Indian Bollywood films can be so popular and successful?
#2 Is Bollywood dancing and songs are worthless or worthy, to the point of view of film?
Somebody likes Indian films, just because of the Bollywood style dancing and songs, while these Bollywood style dancing and sons can be the reason of somebody to dislike Indian film. But here I have to say, whether we like it or dislike it, the Bollywood Dancing and songs has become one of the key reason of why Indian/Bollywood films can be so popular and successful.
This is one part of the film Om Shanti Om:
Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=ymuNkKuToao
Some students they talked in class to express that the content of Om Shanti Om is just a simple love story, it wasn’t complex to be understood. If there was no Bollywood dancing and songs, the whole three hours movie will be very boring, and nobody would like to seat there to enjoy. Yeah I agree with this view, from the point of view of storyline design, it didn’t give me some surprise, maybe this is just a simple love story to eulogize love and justice, and it doesn’t need so much plots to surprise audiences.
Compared to Hollywood musicals movie, it stared more early than Bollywood film industry, and has more precious experiences than Bollywood to make musicals movie. However, what we should admit is nowadays Indian musicals film is more popular than Hollywood musicals films.
As many people know that in India, everyone loves to dance and sing, this is their national gene. In Indian film, Bollywood they improved and advanced traditional Indian dance and songs, they add more western dance and song elements, to make it more international. So actually, we can’t say Indian people they usually just dance in Bollywood style.
Just in last year, 2016, there was a very popular film came to China and made Indian film comes to Chinese audiences eyes once again. Film named Dangal, it did surprised many Chinese audiences, and rewards many praises. I will see this film later, and the actor Amamir Khan, one of main actors in this film, is one of my respective actor in the world.
I liked how you focused on the three movies and wrote an analysis in detail on each of them. But i liked the one you did on Om Shanti Om because of the examples you used and you even wrote about what we discussed about it in class. I agree with you that Bollywood films are more entertaining when there’s music and dancing. Do you happen to know if the 2016 “Dangal” film you mentioned also had cultural dances/music?
Thank you for your comment, Carmen. Actually I haven’t see the 2016 “Dangal” film yet so I don’t know is there also many Bollywood style dancing and songs. But heard from one of my friend who have seen the film, film ‘Dangal’ doesn’t have so that many dances and sons, it’s not very entertaining as Om Shanti Om. Film ‘Dangal’ reflects more social issues happened in India. Have you seen this film? Many friends they suggested me to see, I will see later.
Regrading the entertaining point you mentioned, I think this probably is the key reason to explain why Bollywood film can be so popular in these decades. what do you think?