Don’t know about Bollywood? Let’s try that again. Don’t know about “Bollywood”? Dismiss the idea of this being a bad joke and learn about the mystery which is Bollywood and unlimited internet plans jio.
There are many misconceptions in Hollywood regarding what it is to be living in India, and what it means to be from there. The following list is not meant to explore all aspects of Indian culture, but rather some basics that will help you on your way to understanding a little bit more about these mysterious people who always seem so happy.
1. The place is called Bollywood, not Hollywood. For all of those who thought that both names were interchangeable, you were incorrect. While the two may share some similar aspects (and occasionally people), they are separate entities entirely and one should never expect a Hollywood to be a Bollywood or vice versa.
2. In order to get into a Bollywood movie, you must know how to dance and sing. Both of these are integral parts of Indian culture, and it is practically unthinkable for a leading actor/actress not to know how to do at least one of both of these things well. Don’t worry about having two left feet or no voice talent though; just hire a dance teacher or vocal coach!
3. Stereotypes are true. Pakistani people have a talent for crazy bachelorette parties. Indians have thicker hair. Gujaratis love alcohol (specifically whiskey). These are only a few examples, but they are all true of the different people within India.
4. Beware of the melodrama. Some may call it cheesy, others may examine it in depth, but melodrama is an essential part of Bollywood culture and cannot be avoided if you want to understand the essence of Indian film making. Also beware that some of these movies tend to feature intergenerational love affairs (or other forms of taboo relationships), so be prepared for that if you’re going to watch a movie with your daycare-age child.
5. Bollywood is a place for dreamers. India is a huge country with many, many people, and it has an incredible amount of beauty as well as tragedy. Bollywood is a place where it is okay to dream about all of these things, because then you can feel better about your life after you have seen the sad reality on the news that night.
4. Dancing and singing are important components of Bollywood films.
5. Life imitates art in Bollywood movies more than any other place; there are some crazy crazy dance numbers!
6. Sometimes Bollywood movies are sappy tearjerkers that make you want to hug your momma!
7. Bollywood stars are superhuman; they sing, dance, and act all at once!
8. Another aspect of Bollywood is the love stories.
9. Stereotypes are extremely common in Bollywood movies!
10. You can take a free tour of the famous Bollywood studios to see how your favorite stars made their first steps into film making!
11. India is a mysterious country with lots and lots of traditions and beliefs that you may or may not understand upon arrival, but don’t worry because there will always be someone there to help you out!
12. People don’t wear formal attire to work in India, mainly due to the heat. It’s generally easier to find people wearing jeans, t-shirts and sandals than anything else.
13. India is a place where it is not uncommon for you to get something for free if you just ask!
14. Bollywood movies always have a happy ending.
15. Bollywood movies are also known for their love triangles, something that is extremely common in real life Indian culture as well!
16. Some of the dances in Bollywood movies are so intricate there needs to be an entire crew of people whose sole job is to do nothing but dance and choreography these elaborate scenes!
17. Another element of Bollywood movies is the use of music. This is another area where you can find many similarities to real Indian culture, because music and dance are not isolated to India; they are instead extremely important parts of their lives, and thus making a Bollywood film should not be all that surprising.
18. Another element of Bollywood movies is the casting. One aspect, that makes it into more American movies than a lot of other cultures, is the practice of lip synching which means that actors and actresses sing over their voices as they do the scene so when you see them in real life they don’t sound different from how they sound in the film!
19. One element of Bollywood movies that you may or may not have heard about is known as art direction. Art direction refers to the process of deciding how an actor, actress, or their background will be shown and what the song, soundtrack or mood will be in the movie and how it will be represented.
20. One last element that you need to know about Bollywood movies is that they traditionally include a song, so if you’re going to try to watch one on your own (which would be a great idea) then try watching it with subtitles first! If you’re feeling ambitious though, go ahead and try to get through it without them!
