Indian film industry is one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world, which started its journey in 1913 with the movie Raja Harischandra by Dadasaheb Phalke. However, with the course of time, Bollywood has undergone a sea change. From Mother India to Peepli Live, from black and white to colour and from mute to Dolby Digital, the history of Hindi film industry is quite vivid and interesting. A variety of characters, a plethora of stories and a range of music have adorned the silver screen.
Indian films have always depicted several subjects and issues pertaining to the society and this is where a major difference between old and modern Hindi films comes to the fore. Think of the Hindi movies in the 70s and the 80s, the storylines of movies usually revolved around some common subjects like patriotism, romantic affairs between two people from different social strata, tussle between two communities, family struggle and melodrama. However, the film industry started witnessing a different trend from the 90s. The movies like Lamhe (1991), Roja (1992), Dil Se (1998), Lagaan (2001), Swades (2004), Rang de Basanti (2006), Chak de India (2007), Taare zameen par (2008) and 3 idiots (2009) were the harbinger of the change. Undoubtedly, all these movies added a new dimension to Indian cinema.
It is true that the outset of globalisation and the revamp of education system in our country have given birth to a new genre of audience. Keeping this audience in mind, directors are nowadays experimenting different subjects in their films. We can hope that this experimentation can open a new chapter in the Indian film fraternity.
With the blessing of technical advancement, modern Indian films have become more technically advanced. The use of the latest technologies in the movie is indeed a visual paradise. In addition, the introduction of Dolby digital sound system has added more charm to the movie-watching experience. We now can hope that counting upon our advanced cinematography; Indian films will be able to share the same dais with western movies in near future.
However, the flip side of modern Indian films cannot be overlooked. Earlier, acting and storyline of a film held immense importance for the success of the film. However, in the 21st century, Indian filmmakers give more importance to the visual appeal of films. In modern days, a film is a complete package, which is also aesthetically appealing to the audience. It is true that some recent movies like Race and the Dhoom series have sold solely on the basis of visual appeal, and not the actors’ performance. Besides, these days the commercial aspect of a movie, many a time, takes precedence over creativity and quality of the movie.
Sensuality is a popular ingredient in modern Hindi films. Scantily dressed heroines are taking the helm of modern cinemas. This surely has a negative impact on young people.
Nevertheless, if we consider the positive side of modern Hindi films, it will not be an exaggeration to state that these sometimes give a peep into our future. In the 21st century, Hindi cinema is no longer a mere means of entertainment. It projects a possible life and captures dreams. These cutting-edge Hindi films hold the ability to mould the public opinion and change the scenario more effectively than political leaders because these films are nothing but a mirror to our society.
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