Bollywood

mehunt · **Posted:** Wed Aug 28, 2002 8:01 am

It seems like Bollywood is becoming the craZe of the moment. My fiance and I were listening to excerpts of Lloyd Webber's Bollywood musical Bombay Dreams and I have to say, it's pretty cheesy sounding!

ME:)

djb · **Posted:** Wed Aug 28, 2002 9:11 am

The article calls the Bollywood movie "the staple of Indian pulp entertainment." Then, talking about the box office success of Bollywood movies, it says that Monsoon Wedding "did far better than most." Is Monsoon Wedding really considered a Bollywood movie?

Azlan · **Posted:** Wed Aug 28, 2002 10:45 am

Hmm, "Monsoon Wedding" isn't a musical, is it? If not, it wouldn't be in my classification of a Bollywood movie.

djb · **Posted:** Wed Aug 28, 2002 11:48 am

It has one scene in which the women sing, but it's not a musical in the sense that out of nowhere, it a most unlikely place, everyone starts to sing.

Azlan · **Posted:** Sun Sep 08, 2002 10:24 am

Hmm, djb, do you think this is typical Bollywood fare? Controversy in Bollywood:

Quote:

Bollywood Sex Scenes Hit Indian Theaters Despite Row

Y.P. Rajesh, Reuters

... instead of attracting a small audience of serious film buffs, "Ek Chhoti Si Love Story" (A Short Love Story), which was released across India on Friday despite a court order and attacks on some theaters, has kicked up a controversy over its explicit sexual content.

<a href=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020907/lf_nm/leisure_india_film_dc_1 target=_blank>More</a> on Yahoo!

[ 09-08-2002, 12:25: Message edited by: Azlan ]

djb · **Posted:** Sun Sep 08, 2002 2:13 pm

I guess I'm still confused about what's considered a Bollywood movie. The article says that it's "a bold, if somewhat unusual plot, for India's Bollywood," then implies that Bollywood movies typically attract "a small audience of serious film buffs." Really? I've seen a lot of Indian movies that attract "a small audience of serious film buffs," but they certainly weren't what I think of as Bollywood movies. Does "Bollywood movie" encompass all movies made in India?

Azlan · **Posted:** Thu Sep 12, 2002 10:31 pm

Is CriticalDance on the cusp of this new phenomenon?

Quote:

Bollywood Gains Western Audiences

RANJAN ROY, Associated Press

It's still not as ubiquitous as curry and dal, but the Bollywood movie — the staple of Indian pulp entertainment — has been tickling more Western palates than ever before.

<a href=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020912/ap_en_mo/wkd_bollywood_goes_west_1 target=_blank>More</a>, on Yahoo!

ArtsMan · **Joined:** Sat Aug 03, 2002 11:01 pm **Posts:** 591

Quote:

Silly, Epic 'Asoka'Isn't Brain Food

BY SEAN P. MEANS
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

A Bollywood epic of battles and ballads arrives in all its excess. more

angela · **Posted:** Mon Sep 16, 2002 3:17 pm

A question about the singing in the musicals:
I noticed that the women in these musicals sound the same to me;melodic but nasal,and very high pitched.
Is the womens singing dubbed????

trina · **Posted:** Mon Sep 16, 2002 4:24 pm

My own personal definition of "Bollywood", is that it must be made in India, specifically Bombay (hence the "Bollywood"), which I guess is the capital of Indian filmmaking. So, Monsoon Wedding, I'm not sure. Is that made in India, I haven't seen it! Also, I think that's the style, Angela, as far as the women singing. If I'm wrong, by all means, someone correct me!!!

djb · **Posted:** Mon Sep 16, 2002 4:39 pm

That is just the preferred style of singing for women in India. Many cultures prefer singing voices that are quite different from what we’re used to. But for all I know, there could be one singer who does the singing for several actresses.

One singer did the singing voices of Deborah Kerr (The King and I), Natalie Wood (West Side Story) and Audrey Hepburn (My Fair Lady). There are some interesting tidbits about her here:

Marni Nixon, the Voice of Hollywood

(I know, this doesn’t have anything to do with Bollywood, but it’s only off by one letter.)

[ 09-16-2002, 18:39: Message edited by: djb ]

djb · **Posted:** Mon Sep 16, 2002 7:29 pm

I did a search for dubbing in Bollywood movies, and happened across this article about the Bollywood blockbuster Lagaan. If USA Today is to be believed, then Angela’s guess about dubbed voices was correct:

Quote:

How to tell Bolly from Holly:

The running time is at least 3 hours; otherwise, Indian audiences feel cheated.

There always is an intermission.

Actors always lip-sync their songs. The tunes of the female leads are often dubbed by a pair of elderly sisters who are India's most famous playback singers. Both Lata Mageshkar, 72, and Asha Bhosle, 68, can be heard in Lagaan.

MORE...

I discovered in my search that Asha Bhosle is called the Voice of Bollywood. But so are some other singers.

Azlan · **Posted:** Mon Sep 16, 2002 7:53 pm

Also check this out:

Twinkle Khanna-Kumar

<a href=http://www.planetbollywood.com target=_blank>www.planetbollywood.com</a>

ArtsMan · **Joined:** Sat Aug 03, 2002 11:01 pm **Posts:** 591

In the Cincinnati Enquirer:

Quote:

'Bollywood' movies gaining fans
India exporting more pulp films

By Ranjan Roy
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - It's still not as ubiquitous as curry and dal, but the Bollywood movie - the staple of Indian pulp entertainment - has been tickling more Western palates than ever before. more

trina · **Posted:** Sun Sep 22, 2002 3:45 pm

We just saw "Monsoon Wedding" last night, and I ecnourage all to see this delightful film!!! It examines love and marriage in 21C India, with all the clashes of cultural values (WEstern blending with traditional Indian) and family dynamics. And there was the obligatory singing and dancing, albeit a mix of traditional, disco, trance, and techno!!! yeah!!


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