Bollywood Beyond Its Shores!

“The Indian film world reaches beyond the shores of its own now in many aspects...”

• Amitabh Bachchan blog (DAY 2017)
  

Very true.. And it's none other than Big B himself and “the lovely ebullient and fun filled best in the line” Kajol - looks as stunning standing with Big B on the sets of KBC in the picture in his today's post (Day 2020) as in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham - who played a major part in pushing 'Indian film world beyond the shores of its own.' Karan Johar's K3G was the first big hit overseas that did roaring business in U.S.A., U.K., Australia and the United Arab Emirates. My son's friend and colleague from their Sun Microsystems office in Germany met us when the film was running worldwide and said that K3G, also named “Sometime Happy Sometime Sad”, dubbed in Germany, had become a rage in his country and was doing better business than Hollywood movies runnig against it. Then followed yet another from KJO, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna – Never Say Goodbye - on the subject of infidelity that was declared the biggest Indian hit overseas. There was no looking back thereafter and the box-office figures of Indian films in the foreign market establish the fact that Bollywood films have finally carved a niche for themselves internationally, especially in the U.S. where they do more business than films from any other country. Besides, many big Hollywood studios want a share of the action in Bollywood’s busting film industry.



Besides Indian movies especially being made with an eye on the overseas market, the biggest contribution that is currently being made to push the envelop is what is popularly known as Bolly-dance. Mention Bollywood, today the first thing that comes to mind is the Bolly-dance. It is this phenomenon that makes Bollywood and cinema in India so very unique. 99% of the films Bollywood turns out are musicals full of incredibly imaginative, loud, vibrant and exciting scenes of song and dance. Bollywood dance scene is a piece of art, and it is the costume designer who adds to the art it's color. As the slow and steady progress of western culture imposes itself onto the East it is nice to see that somethings are being returned. Bolly-dance is starting to subtly but undoubtedly influence Western dance, specifically Hip-Hop and Pop. It cannot be over emphasized how special Bolly-dance really is to India's, and even world's culture. A small but significant example is when America's NBC show Smash goes Bollywood. NBC's musical drama pays homage to Indian movies with an elaborate performance. It's a dream sequence, set to the original song ''A Thousand and One Nights'' written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and is ­triggered by the strained relationship between Karen (Katharine McPhee, pictured) and Dev (Raza Jaffrey). ''They have dinner in an Indian restaurant and there are Bollywood numbers playing in the videos on the wall,'' says Smash creator Theresa Rebeck. The increasing popularity of Bolly-dance culture is not confined to USA alone, but spreading all over the world, from the West to the East. The other day we were watching our favorite Korean drama “Baby-faced Beauty” (episode 8) and the scene was the company anniversary party where amongst many other items of entertainment was the lead player's dance. And what a shock it was for her peers in the party, but still bigger for us, when she started dancing Bolly-dance on a hit Daler Mehndi song playing in the background.



Getting fit through Bolly-dance is a new trend amongst the youth in the West, especially America, which is becoming a craze. Bolly-dancing has become an exotic and exciting way of getting your body fit and healthy. It offers a fun and exercise workout, incorporating classical, folk (bhangra) and funk styles of dancing on popular hit songs from Hindi movies. It is an expressive form of movement based around the popular Indian film genre. It offers a fast moving and vivacious dancing workout that is great for enjoyable group exercise. Bolly-dance workout fitness centers are increasing by the day all over USA and giving a tough competition to the traditional fitness centers equipped with treadmill and other workout equipment. The other day, we were surprised watching Dr. OZ show on TV. This is today the most popular health related show in the U.S.. Dr. OZ not only recommended Bolly-dance as the best fusion dance form for fitness but also demonstrated live with some indian ladies on the stage and asked the audience to dance with them. London based fitness star and 'yogini' Hemalaya leads sexy, sassy fun workouts that she declares to be the best to burn fat and tone your whole body. As more and more expert advice on fitness favors Bolly-dance as the best form of exercise, this regimen has become a rage with the health conscious youth in the West at Bolly-dance workout centers as well as home – here is a link to one such example:
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