Is B-town succumbing to Hollywood? 

geetika.mehrotra9@gmail.com

Geetika Nijhawan Mehrotra

1913, the birth of Bollywood cinema, binding “together an astonishing admixture of cultures” introduced Bollywood heroines as “traditional”: women were “portrayed as devoted housewives, sacrificing mothers and dutiful daughter-in-laws.” However, over the years this image of the women with the “domestic chores” gradually changed throughout the Hindi film industry. The image of the modern Bollywood heroine is as a “sex object”.

The reason for these changes is mainly linked to the westernised values. Globalisation has taken place and Bollywood movies are not just produced for Asians within India but Asians all over the globe, also targeting ethnicities internationally. People are now integrated into a single society and function together, sharing norms and values and ideologies.

The “NRI phenomenon” is one of the reasons for globalisation and for why movies are now targeted at different audience and include western values. Bollywood has made it big globally and has been a success at the UK box office over the years with “more Indian films releasing in the United Kingdom , compared with British productions.” Bollywood movies are now “consumable via television at home,” with channel 4 which broadcasts Bollywood movies for its audience and therefore appeals to wider audiences and can be seen how Bollywood has now taken a global approach.

The introduction of a porn star as a new Bollywood actresses is also the step forward to why sex is seen throughout Hindi Cinema. Sunny Leone who plays as adulterous porn star in the movie Jism 2, is hired to become a ‘honey trap’ for a dreaded assassin.

Bollywood is perhaps in its boldest phase ever, but the censor board often plays a spoil sport. To oppose that filmmakers have found a way to present unedited adult content – they are floating trailers and songs on online medium.

“This is the FIRST time a mainstream film has chosen the internet and social media as a more than worthy competitor to television,” Pooja Bhatt ,director of Jism2, said, adding “it’s a brand new, sane and fair way forward for all!”

“I’d rather have the audience decide whether the promo of my film is vulgar or funny and naughty. Luckily, the response is positive online,” said Ekta Kapoor, producer of the sex comedy, ‘kyaa super kool hai hum’.

A new trend has been started by filmmakers Pooja Bhatt and Ekta Kapoor that many would follow! –TMT-INDIA

*The writer is the Editor-in-Chief of TMT-INDIA.