Bollywood, a term that combines “Bombay” and “Hollywood,” is the popular name for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai. Over the decades, it has grown into one of the largest and most influential film industries in the world.
Bollywood is known for its vibrant, high-energy films, which feature iconic song-and-dance sequences, dramatic storytelling, and musicality. From its early days of black-and-white films like Mughal-e-Azam and Pyaasa, which captured the essence of India’s cultural and social fabric, to blockbusters like Sholay and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Bollywood has continued to evolve with the times. The influence of Bollywood is far-reaching, with Indian diaspora communities worldwide embracing Bollywood films, music, and actors. It has also shaped global pop culture, cementing its place as an iconic and powerful force in the entertainment world.
However, in recent years, the industry has experienced a decline in box office numbers, compounded by factors such as the rise of Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms and the global COVID-19 pandemic, which forced theatres to close for extended periods. Audiences, now accustomed to on-demand content, have gravitated toward digital platforms. This shift has led to a restructuring of how films are produced, marketed, and consumed. The focus has now shifted to a more nuanced storytelling, experimental filmmaking, and an exploration of real-world issues, aiming to propel its reach through both theatres and OTT platforms.
In addition to these challenges, Bollywood has faced major controversies, particularly after the tragic suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in 2020. His death ignited widespread discussions about mental health, the pressures of the film industry, and the issue of nepotism. Many pointed to the favoritism shown to industry insiders and the lack of opportunities for outsiders, which led to accusations of a closed and biased system. Furthermore, reports of drug abuse within Bollywood, especially in the aftermath of Rajput’s death, fueled media scrutiny.
I just saw the film and it was mind-blowing and I loved every bit of the film. Manto is one of the best films of this year.
I hope it will get more viewers.
The still isn’t from the film. It’s from a music video made to promote the film.
Did it have the director’s stamp of approval, nevertheless?
Mr Bhatla, if you have decided to not watch this film based on a still photo of a film promo, you were never going to watch it anyway. You were only looking for an excuse not to.
Dear Ajay, to tell you honestly, I haven’t watched a film in a theatre in last may be ten years. So you are right in your guess. But my comment is a general despair, I mean, I HAVE watched some very powerful films in my younger days when I was a member of a “film circle”. They used to get some very good Indian and foreign films. I may not have discerned their finest nuances as perhaps a more sensitive critic would, but I could at least observe and appreciate some elementary things. Some of the efforts we see today in the name of good cinema only leave me nostalgic about those days. I didn’t mean to offend anyone.
Looking at this one photograph in the article which is presumably of an actual scene in the movie, I have decided not to see this film, although I have read Manto’s short stories and have very high opinion of him.
The reason? From this photo it is evident that the director lacks in sensitivity to details. That glass (tumbler) is not from Manto’s times, it is a modern one; what is that golden brown liquid in it, whisky? Manto wasn’t rich enough to afford whisky; he drank “country” stuff. And what is that booze bottle, a crystal decanter or what? My God!
This director, from the evidence in hand, belongs to the chic-movie class. Such people have a romance with poverty, they want to make movies on it, without having the imagination to guess what poverty would really be like. Maybe I am being prejudiced, I apologize. Maybe I am remembering another director of the same ilk who made a film on a hauntingly intense character called Devdas, made famous by Bimal Roy, but couldn’t see anything beyond grandeur in every situation. Multi colored curtains and all that.
But I do hope many people will see this film. If only for the sake of Sadat Hasan Manto, who lived a brief life full of illness and misery.