When watching to films there was one major thing that happened so many times in the film that really stood out to me is that in every Bollywood film they break out in to song and dance. This happens in every scene, each song has a certain message to it and meaning. They could be dancing about marriage so a rejoicing moment or on the other hand they could have a sad moment maybe a funereal. These parts of the films are extremely emotional, they show the audience more about the characters. This is one thing that puts the Western Bollywood films apart from the Indian Bollywood films. For example the film the Boss has lots of singing and dancing and if we compare that to Slumdog Millionaire there is only one song and that is at the end of the film. So it shows how different Bollywood films and Western Bollywood films are made.
This is a genre called Masala or as they call it Masala Magic. This genre involves a few major components they are music, dancing, characters, plot lines and Bollywood stars playing the lead roles. The story lines revolve around the good versus the evil. This could be shown as a political drama or even a love story. In the modern Bollywood the storyline have changed somewhat to having a boy meets a girl that is in a higher social class than him. Then the story continues to the couple having to rebel against their family this can sometimes be in society as we'll not just family and friends. They have to show the community how strong their love is for them to get married.
With watching the film the boss (Oct 2013) this is a prefect example of the business class system. While watching the film you could see the business class system a lot especially in some places where they were filming. People in the business class group C living in the rural areas of Indian, basically living a shed and walking miles to get fresh water. Then you get to see the boss in the highest business class A living in a big house as he is in charge of the transport thought out India. He is known to people in India as the Transport King. Which by the name he is treated with the upmost respect throughout the film. Thought out the film the transport has many fights but he wins everyone this is extremely over dramatised. Which this separates the Bollywood films to the Western makes of Bollywood films. Then when it comes to killing his brother he allows his brother to win, just goes to show that when it comes to family relations are stronger than business deals.
A big issue in India is the class system and how each system is treated differently, looking to the film Slumdog Millionaire directed by Danny Boyle. This film just forces in living in the slums, in the business class system it would be the C class. So in the film Slumdog millionaire when they talk about his job working in a call centre. This job is very basic and their no need for qualifications. Showing he hasn't had much of an education from the job he is in. Working in a call centre is a typical stereotype of an Indian person. When he is on the Who wants to be a millionaire the audience and the TV presenter make funny of him saying and I quote " You are the person that calls me every night trying to sell me mobile phones" then we find out he is actually a tea runner in his company. The way he is treated throughout the show is very rude and they have no respect for a tea runner in a telephone company. When you watch the film you will see that him and his brother did actually go to school, their mum made them. So I would imagine living in the slums is quite education as you are sort of like a free spirt and allowed to just walk around and you will pick up things that will stick in your mind.
Some really interesting parts in Slumdog Millionaire one being the opening scene of a few boys playing stick ball in rubbish shows the audience the poverty and the class system in India. The message that this gives out to the audience is that the children are trying to play a western game. Also there is a shot of the Taj Mahal this is when the brothers are trying to give tours,to American tourists. The message that this gives out is that the boys are trying to have the American Dream by starting up a business, and becoming someone and earn lots of money.
The two directors of these films are Danny Boyle the director of Slumdog Millionaire was born in Radcliffe, Lancashire. Anthony D'Souza director of The boss, was born in Goa India. So looking at the backgrounds of the directors they are completely different backgrounds. It is really good to see how even an English director can produce a Indian film which has such a big impact on the Indian culture. It has developed the country and the amount of awards the film made a big impact on the business system. The boss film wasn't as big as Slumdog millionaire. The messages of each film are very similar as they both consist of business class system and the both show the different classes and the way they are treated. The evil character in both films is either killed or hurt. So they are both conforming to the mythological part which made Indian films the way they are today.
When I look at the directors of these films and most Indian films they have a hard job as they have serval genres that they need to juggle and themes all at the same time.
Their is on major genre that puts Bollywood films apart from any other films that are produced in the world today. This is a multi genre film was known in the 1970's and the 80's as the Masala film the term comes from the idea that like a curry cooked with different spices or masala, the Hindi film offers a variety of flavours. In the early 1920's there was a specific genre that they used it was mythological or the devotional film. The mythological films were about good vs evil and the importance of sacrifice in the name of truth. Also they used the method of the retelling the story was an important element to the success of the mythological genre.
In conclusion to my points and evidence there has been a massive change in the way Indian films are directed today. In the Bollywood films their are the culture influences and the Masala genre is used even today. The Western takes on Bollywood their is no comparison to it as they loss the important parts that make a Bollywood film. In argument against Bollywood the Western Bollywood film directors that have tried to create a Bollywood have done well in the fact they are trying to put a spin on Indian film making them modern so they appeal to a wider audience.
There is still the issue of each class being treated differently which I believe is wrong and should be given a thought to people who live in the rural parts in India who actually make India the place it is today. All theses people ask is that they be given a little bit respect.
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