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.
Do you remember her ability to play the petulant heiress in Ladlaa? (“you understand? You better understand!! She snapped) The hassled wife in Judaai who agrees to sell her husband after years of poverty? How she played those greys so easily. The absolute ease with which she pulled off those costumes in Tohfa? The vulnerability in Gumrah? The grandness of the heist of Roop Ki Raani Choro Ka Raja? How she basically gave India a “Naagin dance” of its own? Her best dance duets were with Amrish Puri, Bob Cristo in HawaHawai and Sunny Deol in Chaalbaaz! How she channeled Charlie Chaplin even better than Raj Kapoor? How she straddled Indian and western dance? How in HawaHawai she could make fun of formal dancing and still be the best dancer? I wish we had appreciated her more when she was alive instead of focussing on her personal life, and judging her choices. I wish we had told her what she meant to us when she was around. I wish all these exuberant actresses of 80s / 90s are told how much we loved them and the effort they put in, in terrible conditions to build a “Bollywood”, instead of clubbing all of 80s and 90s as regressive and the worst cinema. I wish they are told that it’s easier to pull off author backed realistic cinema, cut down on makeup, wear cotton saris of now, than what they were expected to do. I wish we’d told Sridevi we appreciated the energy she put into dances including the gibberish: Gadbad ho gayi, seeti baj gayi. And how nothing was lovelier than her sarcasm dripping “Balmaa” to Shakti Kapoor.
Let us all pray her soul rests in peace and incarnated for more useful cosmic role and responsibility. Though 54 was not an age to go but perhaps this costume for soul in this life was only for the intense experience she gained and flutter she created in the life around her. God Bless her soul.
Sach main aisa bhi koi karta hai lost a part of my childhood