Introduction
For every action is a corresponding reaction, and so is it with movies. While there may be drastic effects of movies to individuals or groups of peoples’ lives, it can be said that this has only been manifested in major addiction to commercial films by most regular viewers. Still, there are little and big effects of movies to individuals and society in general.
This paper shall try to point out the effects of movies to individuals or society basing on Bollywood and other research on the topic.
Discussion
Bollywood
Bollywood has been generally accepted as the informal term used for the Mumbai-based Hindi-language film industry based in India. Bollywood has been acknowledged as one of the largest in the world but its history traces from 1930s when India started producing as many as 200 films per year with the first Indian film with sound – the Ardeshir Irani’s Alam Ara considered a super hit (Jha & Subhash, 2005). A more recent count has pointed film production in India at 700 films per annum (Corliss, 1996) while in 2003, it was said to have grown exponentially at 877 feature films and 1177 short films with earnings estimated at US$8.9 billion.
Indian cinema has been generally influenced by the Indian epic Mahabharata and Ramayana as source of rich imagination for its narratives using side story, back story, as well as story within a story, or plots and sub-plots. Bollywood movies are also characterized by massive dance and music interwoven to the plot so that its musical quality has an effect on its acceptance and popularity. It has been seen today as highly westernized that now include English scripts and feature actors such as Rachel Shelley with the aim to meet Western move standards
Movies in General
Movies are viewed with both positive and negative effects on viewers, but depend mostly on who is viewing. In a negative view, it is alleged of influencing the mindset of young children or youths and fails to realize that it is just for entertainment. Horror and highly graphic gore films are results to violent behavior and devastating to society as television is seen the same.
As for Bollywood, the only connection this writer has for Bollywood with Indian society or viewer is the overly romanticized way of life. Bollywood dwells basically on romance and epics about the exploits of fictitious characters that fall in love with sexy, adorable women depicted in exotic songs and dances. This may be attributed to the propensity for romance for individuals and leading to a high population, for a society.
However, family movies such as those produced by Walt Disney have a very positive effect on the society. This includes “Wall-E” that does not only explore preservation of environment but the humanity in general, where even a robot falls in love. These movies instill values in people, surely missing in many people today.
Conclusion
Some good movies may not get as much appreciation as other strategically marketed movies. However, while “star appeal” and exploitation of commonly accepted themes such as Cinderella love stories and overly-rated magical, or science-fiction visual and sound effects make it mainly big time, other lesser known but relevant themes still make it to the big screen as box office hits and these include Bollywood’s Bride and Prejudice (Adaptation of Jane Auten’s Pride and Prejudice) that and Sivaji: The Boss that explored on the classic triumph of good versus evil.
References
- K. Jha; Subhash (2005). The Essential Guide to Bollywood. Roli Books. pp. 1970
- Corliss, Richard (1996). “Hooray for Bollywood!” Times.