Are Bollywood films past their best?

A new type of film culture is emerging in India where young writer-directors are telling stories about a modern identity being shaped in present day India.

But are they just reflecting the lives of the minority? Will the Bollywood fans be converted to the New Indian Cool cinema?

A World Today debate on this subject was broadcast on BBC World Service Radio on Thursday 20 July at 0045 and 0245 GMT. The guest was Kaizad Gustad, the director of Bombay Boys and a leading light among the new breed of Indian filmmakers. A selection of your emails were read out during the debate and on the daily programme at 0040GMT and 0240 GMT.

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Your reaction

It's really depressing to hear the term "Bollywood". What is this really trying to prove? Is it not a cheap way of aping Hollywood? Most of the Hindi films made are really meant for the masses. Not much different from Hollywood run-of-the-mill films.
Suraj Vijayan, India

Humour and entertainment are essential. If one wanted reality then one needn't go to the movies.
Ram Mohan, The Gambia

The change has to come from within - in the sense, the directors and producers must start questioning whether it's worth churning out such monotonous stuff when 90% of it fails to make money anyway. Secondly, the 'parallel' cinema needs to be made stronger, by money from corporates.
Raj, India

The bulk on Indian cinema is made up of movies in regional languages such as Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam

Rajesh, India

It is useful to bear in mind that Bollywood (Hindi) produces only 25% of India's 800 movies per year. The bulk on Indian cinema is made up of movies in regional languages such as Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam which are closer to reality and far superior to Bollywood cinema most of the time. They address social issues, women's issues, caste, communal and other problems realistically and yet are successful at the box office.
Rajesh, India

Bollywood movies are far from reality. Most of the movies are predictable because they are formula movies. They don't reflect Indian culture and values. Most of all people in India like these and they are that's why successful commercial movies.
Saleem Dawoodi, Pakistani in US

Bollywood represents only the Indian elite and the upper class. It is far from original and does not represent everyday life in India.
Ahsan Khan, USA

There is nothing new. The ideas are old and I think we need a complete revolution in the film industry

Ashwini, USA

I agree wholeheartedly with people saying that Bollywood lacks substance and quality. There is nothing new. The ideas are old and I think we need a complete revolution in the film industry. The heroes and heroines with no acting skills and the directors with no proper direction. Bollywood¿change! It will not survive longer if there is no change in what it is doing now.
Ashwini, USA

One cannot blame Bollywood for the kind of movies they make, It's us the people who watch these movies, whether they are good or bad. Bollywood can transform itself unless and until the people start thinking otherwise.
Vikraman Ganesan, USA

Bollywood movies are like lavish soaps...endless and easily forgettable.
Benares, UK

Indian movies are a good source of entertainment as they provide you with an atmosphere beyond reality. I doubt that the India seen in movies is what it is in reality - where almost one billion people strive from hunger and poverty.
Ahsan Z Ansari, USA

Bollywood films and music are a great asset to Indian society

Piush Patel, England

Bollywood films and music are a great asset to Indian society. They have increased in popularity all over the world and will continue to do so. I just hope the next generation of directors produce more original scripts which portray the rich Indian culture and heritage that has always fascinated other cultures around the world.
Piush Patel, England

Movies are supposed to be entertaining and kill time. You can't expect the contents of all movies to be lifelike - it is just like drinking beer without alcohol. These movies are meant to entertain the masses and enable them to forget world hardships for at least a few hours until the glamorous hangover subsides.
Vipul, Tanzania

The problem with the Bollywood industry is that they do not take risks so the audience sees the same story redone so many times. The industry should realise the potential it could achieve. There are so many problems in India - AIDS, poverty, the ill treatment of women. Why not make movies about these issues that could potentially change the mindset of India? Bollywood only looks at box office numbers instead of the ability to create solutions to real and pressing problems.
Reena, USA

Bollywood will go through major transformations in the coming years

Singh T. Junior, USA

As the world becomes smaller due to the information age, Bollywood will go through major transformations in the coming years. We will see increasing joint efforts between Bollywood, Hollywood, and all kinds of other intercontinental ventures. Therefore, the best of Bollywood is yet to come.
Singh T. Junior, USA

Bollywood movies are impacting India's culture, especially youth culture, in an undesirable way. Today's movies not only lack originality and creativity, they are completely deprived of any social value. Unfortunately, the Indian population has seen so much of this low quality stuff that they have lost their ability for value-based judgement. The only benchmark now is the box office - no one cares if our children are seeing so much violence or cheap sex. The film industry must ponder deep if it is playing a positive role in shaping our society.
Hemant Kumar, Canada

Indian movies are great success. A Third World nation producing world class movies at penny cost compared to Hollywood and having tremendous success in the entire world. They are the best in the world.
Himmat Singh, USA

A good movie needs a decent and original script, not one which is inspired from other movies. This is where Bollywood falls behind Hollywood.
Maskini, Tanzania

Indian movies lack creativity and substance. It is the same old story with the same old ending. It is funny how my 7 year old cousin can predict all the endings of Indian movies. I agree that there have been some fresh new directors who are looking for a change but these people can be counted on fingers. There are more movies made in Bollywood than Hollywood but only a handful of them succeed because the directors are still following the same old formula. They need new ideas, concepts, stories and most of all new people. Bollywood doesn't only needs new heroes and heroines but young directors, writers and producers. In short Bollywood needs CHANGE but a big one.
Shiraz, USA

Movies originated from a particular country do not necessarily have to reflect that country

Pandey, Singapore

What do you really mean by movie? Movies are purely entertainment. People go to watch movie to refresh them, to entertain themselves. Movies originated from a particular country do not necessarily have to reflect that country. People don't want to waste money to watch daily life stories on the movie.
Pandey, Singapore

In any industry when something is mass-produced it inevitably loses in quality. This is the case with Bollywood.
N. Khan, UK/Pakistan

There is no sex in Indian Bollywood movies. They are silly romance flicks. Bollywood is all love stories of rich spoilt kids with some poor one. Same old repeated stuff.
Anu and Ram, USA

Good movies are made by good people with heart and devotion

Saumil, USA

Good movies are made by good people with heart and devotion. Be it the director, the actor or the scriptwriter. Also they need to be given the resources and freedom of thought. For most film directors this is a luxury. They have rushed schedules, tight budgets and sloppy scripts. At the same time there are few established ones who have that freedom. They can make good movies. My wish would be that everyone involved in the movie business strive to do better and the results will validate their hard work and devotion.
Saumil, USA

Only because of AMITABH BACHCHAN, Bollywood has been recognised all over the world. Without him, I think Bollywood would not have reached audiences all around the world in countries like Tanzania, Nigeria, Egypt, Madagascar etc!
Kuljinder, Tanzania

Indian movies have seen a lot of changes in past. There was a time when movies focused on social issues and messages were made along with pure commercial movies. With time, romance completely took over the screen. Then the trend was set by action movies pioneered by mega-star Amitabh Bachchan. Bollywood will always keep showing it's good movies from time to time as the best is yet to come.
Jayant, USA

The only elements required for a good movie are originality and creativity

Manish, USA

The only elements required for a good movie are originality and creativity. Having said that, I don't believe that melodrama and fantasy are necessarily an evil as long as the aforementioned elements are present. What is wrong with Bollywood movies is that they want to present an increasingly westernised view of India to the West so producers can break down cultural barriers and profit. Both Eastern and Western societies would benefit if Indian filmmakers produced films that showed an authentically Indian work of art or at least popular entertainment.
Manish, USA

Mainstream movies in any culture are for entertainment. As long as people enjoy watching the movies then there is no question of degradation. The changes also reflect the changes seen in the society. If the changes reflect only a minority section of the society then it will not last long.
Girish Bangalore, USA

It's clear that its Indian market is declining very much and it is looking for the foreign market for survival.
Ray, India

Bollywood is just another tool used in the promotion of Western values

Abdullah, UK

Bollywood is just another tool used in the promotion of Western values, e.g. defining success as the one with the most money, best car, best girl/ guy and an aid in preventing people from stepping back and trying to see what life is really all about.
Abdullah, UK

I am a fan of Hindi movies. If I don't like a movie, I simply don't sit through it. For me the purpose of watching one is entertainment, not to try and find a meaning in every sentence a character speaks. If actors act reasonably well, dance well and the scenes seem connected to each other, I am alright with the movie. Older movies reflected their time and the new movies do exactly the same, so why should I complain about Hindi movies losing touch?
P. Chaudhary, India/ USA

The problem with Indian cinema as a whole is reflected in the depravity of current Hindi cinema - money. The days seem to have gone when directors like Shyam Benegal, Mrinal Sen and actors like Nasseruddin Shah, Om Puri were admired for their artistic skills.
Chetan Rao, USA

Most Movies are made with the box-office in mind. If the general population is satisfied with movies with a weak story/ plot but with lots of violence and sex, we can rest assured that Bollywood will continue to churn out such movies.
Vish, India/ USA

It all comes down to economics. If 90 % of the population just wants to escape its own dreadful and terrifying reality of utter poverty for 3 hours of nonsensical running around trees, then that's what Bollywood will give them. After all, these are the people that make a movie a hit or a flop. How else can one explain the fading away of the "parallel cinema" movement? Good films that tackled powerful issues, with excellent actors and directors, that just did not rake in enough money for Bollywood to invest in them.
Priya, India

Everything including the name 'Bollywood' is a cheap imitation of Hollywood. And what is this Kollywood now? Folks, its not too late. Think differently...
Guru Shenoy, United States

The Indian audience in much the same way as us audiences in the 1950s are becoming more discerning viewers.

Amitav Narula, UK

With the emergence of cable TV, the Indian audience in much the same way as us audiences in the 1950s are becoming more discerning viewers. They want to see less action and melodrama and more originality in their films. People want to see films reflecting their own lives or ones with good stories. The failure of Hum saath saath hai shows that people no longer believe in the old images of extended family living in harmony as this just doesn't happen. Music will be the most important part of Bollywood and with competition form TV will be its trump card.
Amitav Narula, UK

Bollywood films and their deteriorating quality are a symptom of the deeper malaise that has kept the Sub-Continent's progress in check. From blatant plagiarism, to stories without a plot, to the degradation of women and above all a lack of pride in our roots has ensured that mediocrity rules.
Nigar, USA

Writers and lyricists in Bollywood seem to have reached a mind block in the late 80s and they haven't recovered from that phase yet. They are just dishing out recycled stuff or complete trash. The people are obviously seem to be resigned to the fate as they continue to nourish the only form of mass entertainment in India.
Ravi Teja Seethamraju, India/USA

Films of the day are full of demented clamour, cheap parodies and are totally senseless and paranoid

Sasha, USA

Yes, I would say that Bollywood cinemas never primed or matured. Films of the day are full of demented clamour, cheap parodies and are totally senseless and paranoid. It is totally oblivious of the social and economic culture of the region and tries to lead people into a fabulous utopia.
Sasha, USA

It has been a number of years since I have seen an entire Indian film. Back in the 70s and early 80s the films seemed to have quite good story lines and seemed to be socially and morally responsible. Technically today's films are miles ahead of their older ancestors but the older films were far superior and thoughtful in their essence.
M. Khan, UK

Though Bollywood satisfies the 'mass' in India, it doesn't reflect the cultural and intellectual diversity in the country. There is a very good % of Indians who are intelligent, art lovers and Bollywood has nothing to offer them. What it does is justifiable, but what it doesn't, makes Bollywood loose its elegance. Its like expecting Indian computer programmers reach the global market by developing FoxPro programs.
Aswinee, India

Bollywood directors want to achieve the same level of recognition as their Hollywood counterparts. However, they should realise that this cannot be done by throwing in lots of sex. Their main problems are ill-researched stories, lack of originality, and above all, a serious lack of common sense. Typical nonsensical scenes include actors catching bullets and "heroes" managing to have lengthy dying conversations even after being shot in the forehead at close range.
Kesh, UK

At the end of the day, we watch films for entertainment

Vikesh Gir, UK

At the end of the day, we watch films for entertainment. Hollywood can be just as far-fetched as Bollywood but because of the budgets and effects, it is never criticised. I think if people want to moan, then simply do not watch any Bollywood films. Although there are quite a few bad movies out there, there are also a lot of good ones and they are entertaining. I think Bollywood is great, it hasn't lost its touch and there are plenty who will agree with me.
Vikesh Gir, UK

What is wrong with Bollywood movies? They are giving people exactly what they want.
Johnson, USA/ India

I agree that Bollywood has made its mark as the second most popular film industry in the world but there are certain flaws that have to be removed from recent films. They are producing films that are copies of English movies.
Zimad Saif, Pakistan

Bollywood is responsible for the social acceptance of Western values by dehumanising the Indian Subcontinent and the world from traditional family values. Where films were once family viewing, they are now aimed at sex starved young men.
Ahmed, UK

Bollywood seems to have lost its originality some of the major movies this year and last year are all re-makes of Tamil and Telugu films. For example, Hum Dil DE Chuke Sanam which won national and International Awards is a scene to scene remake of a Telugu film. The charisma of Bollywood may be well lost unless it comes up with something original.
Saikiran, India

The comments are mostly from the people who live abroad. Their criticism of Bollywood may be right or justified in some aspects but I strongly feel these guys are the biggest hypocrites themselves as the majority of them, flock to any theatre/private screening or any video cassette library to watch a Hindi Movie. I may not be the biggest fan of Bollywood myself but I am amazed at the rate they keep churning new movies to entertain the masses who live in India. Sure these movies are entertaining - that's what they are supposed to be.
Vikram Gupta, India

Bollywood should not be afraid of being Bollywood

Puneet, UK

Bollywood was never realistic. Melodrama is the lifeblood of Hindi movies. However, recent changes amount to European locations and more emphasis on showing skin. The "skin" issue is a little sad as much of the subtlety of the films of the 60's is now such a distant memory. As for the European locations - on the one hand, the average Indian aspires to live in such places. On the other, Bollywood, while constantly shouting about its own virtues versus Hollywood, should also shout about India's virtues as a nation and a culture. Traditional Indian dances are less frequently seen now, but are far better than the pseudo-Jackson pap we're often subjected to. Bollywood should not be afraid of being Bollywood. As it moves with the times, it should not forget that there is no silent 'H' in its name.
Puneet, UK

The only films I've ever seen coming out of Bollywood are ones with continual dancing in! Does this reflect life in India accurately? Are we to believe that all people in India do is have fights (like The Matrix but without the special effects) in 80's clothes while dancing across hillsides?
Tristan Abbott-Coates, UK/ USA

Most of the Indian movies today are garbage. I think people in Bollywood are making movies quantity wise not quality wise
Mukesh Malhotra, USA

Bollywood movies seem to set the tone for the present day average Indian's lifestyle rather than reflecting the original reality. In fact, the masses try to mimic what is shown in these movies!
Nagesh, USA

It is very easy to criticise the Indian film industry and to say that most of the movies from India are copies of those made in Western countries. Indian cinema has survived successfully for almost 70-80 years. My dad often tells me that in the early 60's, people often use to say that the Indian film industry would soon die as movies from Hollywood dominated the market. Nothing happened. People in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East love Indian movies. In many countries outside India, mainstream television channels regularly show them with subtitles.
Raqjiv Khanna, Australia

Bollywood is like a mirror, reflecting the hopes and aspirations of the masses in India

Rahul Dhir, UK

Bollywood is like a mirror, reflecting the hopes and aspirations of the masses in India. It gives people time to escape reality and go into a dreamworld for a couple of hours.
Rahul Dhir, UK

The Indian film industry lacks creativity and almost everything is an imitation of Western movies craftily modified. Most ideas are not even original. Indian viewers like to live in two and a half hours of fantasy and everything that exists in the movies is a taboo in real life. Realistic movies flop because they are depressing. It's high time we learned to innovate, imagine and get down to earth reality instead of being copycats the world over.
Guru Shenoy, USA

Today, filmmakers are beginning to explore new and controversial themes in Indian cinema (take movies like Fire, Water, and Hyderabad Blues for instance). Although, it will take a while for the trend to catch on throughout the country, I think this new generation of Indian filmmakers holds a lot of promise for the future of the industry.
SD, USA

As it is Indian films have rarely reflected the lives of the majority. But that is exactly what makes Indian films so appealing. The ticket sales of the recent film - Kaho na pyar hai- is enough to demonstrate what Bollywood fans think of fantasy films
Sujata, UK

Most of the new Indians movies are copy of American movies, it looks like Bollywood is out of stories.
Adnan Ali, USA

New "Cool" Indian Cinema will learn to co-exist with the "hot" Bollywood fare

Anand V Rao, USA

New "Cool" Indian Cinema will learn to co-exist with the "hot" Bollywood fare. Like in the U.S. slam bang action movies and Woody Allen have their share of the audience market.
Anand V Rao, USA

I think Indian film industry should stay close to reality, this will give the film industry an opportunity to solve some of the India's problems: poverty, and population. Unfortunately at this time the movies made in India do not reflect the real India, many times the movies are pictured outside of India.
Navid Iqbal, Colorado, USA

During earlier days movies were based on relationships between unequals, one rich, one poor. Today in all the movies everyone lives in swanky houses, pursues hobbies, does not work (does not care for money or earning anything), no job, only dancing. I think it reflects more of aspirations of thousands of people especially middle classes who feel that it is all possible in today's time by going abroad.
Vivek Gupta, India

Inherently Indian movies have been made to entertain. Reflection of lifestyles is hardly the issue here. Afterall hardly any movies are realistic. Its all fantasia!
Manu Varma, USA

I would have thought that the best days are over in the sense that mindless "formula" movies adhering to delivering the usual potpourri of violence, drama and song and dance lasting 3 1/2 hours is on its way out.

Srinivas Rangaraj, Canada

Actually, I would have thought that the best days are over in the sense that mindless "formula" movies adhering to delivering the usual potpourri of violence, drama and song and dance lasting 3 1/2 hours is on its way out. There is a very definite trend at experimenting with real issues, exploring the rich tapestry that makes up India and also facing harsh realities while facing criticism at home. Movies are being made (especially outside the Bollywood arena) in the regional languages which are thought-provoking, low-budget and classy at the same time. However, there will always be a place in Indian hearts for the usual pot-boiler where one can turn the mind off and live in a fantasy world for a brief time. After all, that's what movies promised the masses isn't it?
Srinivas Rangaraj, Canada

Yes. Already Kollywood (Chennai) has pioneered with many sensible Tamil movies which are changing the trends in Indian cinema. Now it is the turn of Bollywood. There is a clear shift in the themes from quiet and violent villages to modern high tech city lives. Lyricists have already gone to an extent of writing "...send me a love letter e-mail...", "... has God shaped you perfectly using computer models.... "
C.Paithiyam, USA

The Bollywood film industry is not worth debating over. Bollywood had stopped making films reflecting normal lives of the Indian people or with any social messages, a long time ago. Most or almost all of them are made for purely commercial purposes and they are successful too.
IC, India