Monday, August 11, 2008

India in Bollywood Movies

This is a call to all 'serious' Indian filmmakers. Could you please make movies that focus on the good that is in India? We have movies on widows, poverty, caste etc. and nothing that captures indefatigable spirit , joie de vivre of India and its people, for instance. I can't think of a single positive movie about India on the 'serious' circuit, the kind of movies that get sent off to film festivals around the world, purporting to show other inhabitants of planet earth 'the real India'. I wrack my brains but I'm unable to come up with any movies that defy the stereotypes of Indian life, which exist in the minds of people abroad. Anyone know of any?

I'm all for movies that highlight social evils in the hope of prompting public debate and action but a one-sided view of any society or country is an anomaly that needs to be corrected. There is absolutely no country that is perfect. Granted there are some that seem to have it all but when you visit them, you back out of there so fast, the immigration official blinks at your return. They seem to lack that aliveness and vibrancy that immediately engulfs you the moment you step on Indian soil. So let's have movies that allow an intense love-hate relationship (there's plenty to hate too) with the country, that's far better than what-an-awful-place type of movies.

No comments: