MFA Bollywood Week

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Real Meets Virtual in Bollywood... Finally?

Bollywood has definitely been moving into a new direction.

But I never expected this one. Now, films are going to be promoted on XBox Live. The movie that will be the first is an animated film called Hanuman Returns.

Along with collaborations with XBox, PSP is releasing a Bollywood singing game. The interesting thing is-- Bollywood would never make this connection ten years ago. It's definitely a result of the economic boom in the country. Unfortunately, it would be great if Bollywood production companies would focus on making better films than making video games.

Mumbai, Coming Soon: Hollywood.

Earlier, I reported that the American company Sony Pictures are all set to release the Bollywood film Saawariya.

According to this, the Bollywood-- Hollywood connection doesn't stop there. Apparently, Hollywood production companies, such as Time Warner and Sony Pictures are now ready to collaborate with Bollywood and get in on the massive money coming out of the industry.

There are pros and cons to this. The obvious pro is that the production might improve, from advertisements to follow- up production, and that small low budget films will get bigger audiences. But, their is an obvious con as well-- These production companies might strip away some of the brilliance that is Bollywood cinema (that comes around now and then). Here's hoping only good can come out of this.

Bollywood's Favorite back in jail

One of Bollywood's favorite actors, Sanjay Dutt, returned to jail on Monday, Oct. 22. He was convicted of possessing illegal weapons and having relations with the underworld in India. But the crime that he was charged with did not take place a month, or even a year ago. It happened thirteen years ago-- and at that time, Dutt spent sixteen months in jail.

The court finished examining his case in August, but Dutt was released on bail. Until now, that is. He was convicted with a six year sentence, one that seems quite harsh, seeing that the court decided that Dutt was not a terrorist or a threat.

Of course, the media is intently focusing on the story. But what I find more interesting is the emotional involvement of the common man-- from taxi drivers to doctors, everyone has been praying for Sanju Baba (as he is fondly called).

Both of Dutt's parents were extremely popular movie stars, who had strong Congress Party connections. Because of this, many politicians, such as Sonia Gandhi, have come out in support of Dutt.

I don't know if the court was fair or not to Dutt-- but I will definitely miss Bollywood's favorite Munnabhai.

Bollywood's Regression

In the 1980's, Bollywood flourished with parallel cinema-- low budget films with incredible depth, void of the masala and commercialism of today's films. As we see a glimmer of hope with some films taking a risk, one such director of one such film zeroes in on the problem. Director Anurag Kashyup of the forthcoming "No Smoking" said this in an interview:

"Yash Raj has the power to change cinema. We don't. We've been trying hard. But Yash Raj can do it overnight. Yash Raj changes, our cinema changes. But they choose not to change. They choose to stay in their mediocrity, just counting money. Everybody is doing business. That's fine, but they are making us regress.”

Although big names such as the director Karan Johar, were quick to criticize Kashyup, he is definitely correct. Yash Raj productions make films like "Ta Ra Rum Pum," "Jhoom Barabar Jhoom," and "Neal N' Nikki," movies that are, in Kashyup's words, "mediocre." Yash Raj Productions are the most powerful production company in Bollywood, yet they do not challenge themselves to take risks, which they can definitely afford.

Kashyup also said that "Chak De India" was a good move forward for the company-- but it was an "apologetic release... They didn't have faith in it. For the first time they didn't ask for terms and conditions with the exhibitors. If they had faith in the film they would have played on the front foot."

Kashyup also said that his distributors had to make the film more "marketable" by Bollywood standards by including a famous actress in an "item number" to promote the film, a concept that Kashyup believes Yash Raj has the power to change.

Bend it Like Bekham-- Bollywood Style

John Abraham is definitely a Bollywood star to watch for. Although he has proven himself as an actor, I do believe his unconventional roles can take him far.

His latest venture, "Goal," deals with the racism South Asians face in England, with soccer as the platform to showcase prejudice.

Although the film has the typical masala feel, the subject of the film is what the audience should watch out for, and is exactly what Bollywood needs.

Time for Change!

The King of Bollywood has spoken. He told The Times of India that "The technology we use in Bollywood is fantastic. But, we need to wed these two considerations to come up with smart movies. To start with, our movies need to be shorter and crisper.”

If Shahrukh Khan, the actor known for starring in films that aren't really smart, or short, or crisp-- that are ultra-glamorous films which cater to Non-Resident Indians, is stating the need to change the age old ways, the creators of his films (which include the heavyweights of Bollywood) are going to have to listen.

Because the other Bollywood has already followed this path. The days of shooting songs in Switzerland and having lavish sets and costumes are no longer the mantra of Bollywood. Last year, the two most successful films were "Rang De Basanti," "Omkara" and "Lage Raho Munnabhai," both movies which had songs, but lacked foreign backdrops or incredibly expensive sets.

Shahrukh Khan's own movie, "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna," which took place in New York and included a star studded cast and over-the-top acting, was not as popular among Indians as the other three movies were, when his movies are usually the top contenders for awards and praise.

There is a changing trend in Bollywood-- and half of the industry has caught on. Hopefully, the other half will follow, which Shahrukh leading the way.

If TV can do it, so can India

As I've said before, one can decipher understand politics by following how India votes in music- based singing competitions, such as Indian Idol.

Another such competitions titled "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa" reveals much about the Indian psyche. On Saturday, October 13, the show concluded, and what a surprise-- your winner was an average small-town Hindu boy.

Amanat and Raja, two of the other contestants (who were always the judges' favorites) didn't win the competition, despite usually high votes. But, Amanat and Raja weren't the winners.

For the first time, this show opened its doors to Pakistan, the US, and many other countries. Amanat is from Pakistan, but the two other singers in the top three were both from India.

Amanat-- an amazing singer and my favorite, lost despite having the highest votes overseas. A Pakistani native, he did not get the highest votes in India. Many voters from India claimed that they wanted their winner from their own country.

It's great that the television show opened its range to include countries like Pakistan and The United Arab Emirates. It would be great if Indians did the same.

Unconventional wins in Bollywood!

Chak De India-- a film with two songs (but no dance sequences), no love story, a film about hockey, and starring sixteen newcomers-- is the highest grosser and biggest hit of 2007.

The film is completely unconventional. Yes, it could be said that this is because the main role is attributed to Shahrukh Khan, (also called the King of Bollywood in Anupama Chopra's book) but Khan has had many failures in the past, so that cannot be reason alone. The film was fresh, had a unique and hard-hitting script, and tackled ideas such as sexism and diversity and cultural differences in India.

So- does this mean that there is actually a bankable audience for serious, well-made films in Bollywood?

One of my personal favorites, Dor, was released last year. The film was recognized for its incredible script and focus on feminism and the treatment of widows in certain communities, but it did not even receive half of the profits that Chak De India is garnering.

One thing Chak De had going for itself was that it was produced by India's leading production company, Yash Raj Films, but their involvement does not guarentee success alone- some of their really horrible films (Neal 'N Nikki) still fail.

It would be incredible if other mainstream production companies followed in Yash Raj's footsteps, and tried banking on unconventional and well-made films. By unconventional I mean films like Dor and Chak De India-- not Heyy Babyy, which people call "unique" because the leading lady gets pregnant before getting married.

Intellectual films have always been produced in Bollywood-- but they usually lack a larger audience. Let's hope that this changes with Chak De!

The Blog that, I admit, is Better than mine.

Sepia Mutiny is an incredible blog that covers almost every topic about India, and Indian Americans.

With a group of bloggers (called Mutineers), the subjects vary from Indian Idol to hate crimes, and to Bollywood. The site is simple, yet straightforward.

What I like about the site most is the tone it takes and the diversity in subject.

The tone:

• it seems like the site is tailor made for me: an Indian- American born interested in politics and pop culture, both Indian and American.

• Man bloggers have a fun, personal touch to it, which makes the posts more real and entertaining to read.

Diversity:

• Any topic I would ever think of to post, Sepia Mutiny has it covered. Each blogger has a specific domain, or so it seems, which really means that each post has a personal touch to it-- like the blogger knows everything about, and is passionate about, what she's writing.
• The Blog doesn't limit itself to South Asian-American issues. They definitely go beyond. For example, they talk about the racism involving Jena six-- an issue that everyone should know and be familiar with.
  

The Young and the Restless

An NDTV article highlighted the young filmmakers in India who are "rewriting the rules" of Bollywood.

The article is absolutely right. One thing the article fails to mention is that most movies take a risk, not just in having less songs, but in having some sort of sociopolitical message.

Take Bhavna Talwar's film "Dharm," for example. The movie deals with issues of conflicts between Hinduism and Islam.

Reema Kagti's film "Honeymoon Travels, Pvt. Ltd" addressed how recently married older couples are accepted in society and even homosexuality.

Another such movie was Being Cyrus, an Alfred Hitchcock-ish film, was a movie based on Parsis, a cultural group that has been ignored for the most part in Bollywood since the 1980's.

And of course, there is Chak De India and Dor, two movies that I have written about in previous posts.

It does seem that young filmmakers have a new vision-- let's see how far they go.

The Six- Pack Revolution

As I write about the relationship between Bollywood and politics, a huge segment of Bollywood is obsessing over Shahrukh Khan's (a popular Indian actor) new six-pack abs.

For his new movie, which is set to release next month, he has stripped (which means he took off his shirt in Bollywood terms) for a song in the movie. People are calling his new body a rebirth; not that he needed one.

The coverage in the media has been, I wouldn't say amazing, but overwhelming. On news channels, in newspapers, in blogs, all that is being talked about are Khan's abs.

Two years ago, Khan grew a mustache for one of his movies, which also garnered a similar craze. This time, there were interviews with Khan's trainer and articles about Khan's exercise schedules.

Although I do feel like the coverage in the media is a little ridiculous, it is also a turning point for Bollywood. Before, the main actors (or, should I say, heroes) never had great bodies. Actors with great bodies were just that-- actors, who happened to have great bodies.

Khan, because of his star power, has made six-pack abs a must-have for actors. His new look has in a way, reinvented the look of Bollywood heroes.

Lies or Stupidity?

In a country like India, where actors are literally treated like God, using that power to create more political awareness can be amazing.

Except when its used to help a friend out. Amitabh Bachchan, one of the most popular actors in Bollywood, claimed that the state of Uttar Pradesh had a low crime rate in advertisements during an election season, for help a friend who happens to be a politician.

Apparently-- Bachchan was wrong about Uttar Pradesh. In actuality, the state has a very high crime rate. Now, I don't think Bachchan knew he was lying, and just said what he was told to say. But then again-- it's a known fact that Uttar Pradesh has a high crime rate, and Bachchan should know this, as he is from the state.

Either way, Bachchan is definitely at fault, especially because of the influence he has among the Indian people. He should be held accountable, but again-- because actors are treated like God, that is unlikely.

Rush Limbaughness in India

So the Indian Idol craze continues, even after it's over.

A few days ago, a radio jockey made some racist comments about Indian Idol winner Prashant Tamang, his Nepali heritage, and Nepalis overall.
The Radio host said:

“Aaaj Prashant Tamang ‘Nepali ladka from Darjeeling’ [Today Prashant Tamang, Nepali boy from Darjeeling] has become Indian Idol [laughs sarcastically] and we have a [cricket] match tonight so we need to guard our house / malls / restaurants by ourselves as there will be no Nepali people to guard these place and whole night we need to say Jagtay Raho [stay awake].” The RJ also added that all the Footpath Momo shops will remain closed as Nepali guy has become Indian Idol.

The statement is absurd, incredibly racist, and quite offensive. There are stereotypical views that many people of Nepali origins are guards or police officers. Tamang, himself, was before an officer as well. Although the statements are extremely racist, the aftermath was even worse.

About a week ago, I wrote an entry about the extraordinary support Tamang has from his community. When an ambulance was trying to pass through the region where Tamang lives (which is in India, not Nepal), angry mobs prevented an ambulance on its way to the hospital, which resulted in extreme violence from the police. the conflict resulted in sixty injuries.

The outcome is ridiculous, but the underlying sentiments hold strong. Many view Nepalis as lower class citizens, below Indians. As India is growing and prospering, so should the people, and their thinking.

The Oscar Craze hits Mumbai

The Oscar craze has begun-- but not in Hollywood. Big names in Bollywood are at each other's throats over India's official entry to the Oscars for the "Foreign Film" category.

The drama over the nomination is so intense, I get where all the over-the-top dialogues in their films come from. This is a brief chronology of what happened: First, the jury selected Eklavya- The Royal Guard, which got stellar reviews from both The New York Times and The LA Times. Unfortunately, it did not have the same fate at the Indian box office. Then, the director of the incredible film Dharm about a conservative Hindu priest (which went to the Cannes Festival, but did even worse at the box office) takes the matter to court, claiming that three of the jurors who chose Eklavya are good friends with Eklavya's director, Vidhu Vinod Chopra (And she has a point-- one of the jurors directed the making of Eklavya, a promotional film for the movie).

But the drama goes on. Big names such as Sajid Khan (a comedian, and most recently, a director of a box office hit), his sister Farah Khan (choreographer, and now awaiting the release of her second directorial venture) and Anupam Kher (winner of eight Filmfare Awards, Bollywood's Oscars, and who has starred in two of Chopra's films) did not agree with Eklavya as the official entry. And Chopra did not agree with this. In an interview, he questioned the knowledge and acting skills of anyone who attacked his film's entry for the Oscars.

But, who are Sajid and Farah to just stand back and listen? Sajid Khan responded in an open letter, and Farah talked about the nasty words spoken by Chopra in an interview.

Whew. Too much drama! Sadly, if these icons spent more time making better films and supporting each other, maybe India, or Bollywood, wouldn't need the Oscars.