The Evolution of India's Bollywood Industry from the 1930s
By Shruthi Arun, Elana Anil, Raina Gol, and Lufei Wan
National History Challenge Year 10 2022: Harrisdale Senior High School
- The image above depicts Kareena Kapoor in iconic movie 'Khabi Khushi Khabie Gham'
Source: Youtube.com
What is Bollywood?
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is the Indian Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai (formerly Bombay). The popular term Bollywood used to refer to mainstream Hindi cinema is "Bombay" and "Hollywood". The industry is part of the larger Indian cinema—the world's largest by the number of feature films produced, along with the Cinema of South India and other film industries throughout India.
Causes of Bollywood
What events, people, and actions led to this establishment?
(Click on the underlined links to view causes and consequences in detail)
During the period 1929–1937, exports and imports in India fell drastically, crippling seaborne international trade in the region. Since the economic status of India was dropping, the Indian government had to look for a new scheme/method of income that would majorly boost India’s economy.
Bollywood incorporated popular live action-packed drama into movies, recreating their Indian history holding on to what the citizens were interested in and loved. Western trends such as “Rock and Roll” and dance began to influence Indian films, where the traditional dresses and dances that expressed our culture, were replaced by the light and glamour of Hollywood.
Many men and women were uneducated about contraceptive methods. This resulted in an ongoing birth boom and the population began to increase uncontrollably from the 1940s, resulting in mass interest for Bollywood.
Consequences of Bollywood
What events, people, and actions directly resulted from this establishment?
One reason why the domestic market for Bollywood movies is so strong in India is simply the slower spread of TV. When people do not have TVs at home they are much more likely to go out and watch movies.
From World War 1 to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, films generally reflected the neutral, isolationist stance that prevailed in politics and culture. Producers and directors influenced the movies based on their culture and their religion. Many movies started showcasing different rituals and norms of Hinduism.
India’s beauty and wellness markets are growing around twice as fast as those in the United States and Europe. Bollywood as a result has introduced several toxic stereotypes, greatly influencing Indian audiences.
Click on superscript for intext referencing.
“I have to keep making films in my country so that it gets established as an industry at home."
- Dadasaheb Phalke
- Dadasaheb Phalke a.k.a "The Father of Indian Cinema" was the producer of the first Indian film, Raja Harishchandra.
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica
Beauty Stereotypes
India’s weight-loss and skin-lightening industries are in full boom, while eating disorders and body image issues rise with them. For years, the Indian entertainment industry has been promoting skin-lightening products and “fairness creams” with the promise of helping the user get one shade closer to fame and success, much like the actors in the advertisements.
- Jaqueline Fernandez's advertisement portrays the ideal beauty standard in India consisting of fair, poreless skin.
Source: The Indian Express.com
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Intext References
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In 2019, Indian cinema box office revenues were over US$2.5 billion , in the services sector which accounts for more than 40% of the Indian economy.
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Bibliography
Books:
Ausaja, S.M.M. Aikat, K. Bachchan, A. (2017). Bollywood : the films! The songs! The stars! London Dorling Kindersley Limited. pp. 18-22. Mumbai, India. [Accessed 25 May 2022].
Raghavendra. (2016). Bollywood. New Delhi, India: M.K. Oxford University Press. pp.12-15. New Delhi. [Accessed 25 May 2022].
Stadtman, T. (2015). Funky Bollywood : the wild world of 1970s Indian action cinema : a selective guide. Godalming, Surrey, England, UK: Fab Press. pp 23-26. [Accessed 25 May 2022].
PRIMARY SOURCES
Quotes:
Svoboda, M. (1917). Dadasaheb Phalke quotes (7 quotes) | Quotes of famous people. Quotepark.com. Available at: <https://quotepark.com/authors/dadasaheb-phalke/#:~:text=%E2%80%9C> [Accessed 29 May 2022].
Newspaper articles and primary images
Bhatt, A. (2017). Vibrant & Colourful, There’s No Doubt That The 70s Was The Best Era Bollywood Has Ever Had. [online] www.scoopwhoop.com. Available at: https://www.scoopwhoop.com/70s-was-the-best-era-bollywood-has-ever-had/. [Accessed 10/6/2022]
Biswas, S., 2022. Alam Ara: Search for the lost film that gave birth to Bollywood. [image] BBC News. Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61404876> [Accessed 2 June 2022].
Cine Blitz. (1985). A Baby for Rekha?. [image]. Available at: <https://im.indiatimes.in/media/content/itimes/blog/2015/Oct/6/1444128647_4473477103395613a47660d9b.jpg> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
Filmfare. (1970). Raj Kapoor's Death. [image]. Available at: <https://im.indiatimes.in/media/content/itimes/blog/2015/Oct/6/1444128647_71630064536056139eb80b4da.jpg> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
Filmfare. (1984). Rekha, Amitabh. [image]. Available at: <https://im.indiatimes.in/media/content/itimes/blog/2015/Oct/6/1444128647_43893720724256139eb279975.jpg> [Accessed 24 May 2022].
Kathuria, H. (1981). "God has been very cruel..." - Sunil Dutt. [image]. Available at: <https://im.indiatimes.in/media/content/itimes/blog/2015/Oct/6/1444128647_67562466947856139eb94f5c2.jpg> [Accessed 1 June 2022].
Photogallery.indiatimes.com. 2020. #GoldenFrames: Dadasaheb Phalke, Life in pictures. [image] Available at: <https://photogallery.indiatimes.com/celebs/goldenframes/goldenframes-dadasaheb-phalke/articleshow/82327743.cms?picid=82327784> [Accessed 6 June 2022].
Stardust. (1993). THE TRAGEDY THAT SHOOK THE NATION. [image]. Available at: <https://im.indiatimes.in/media/content/itimes/blog/2015/Oct/6/1444128647_30615455518556139eb56582d.jpg> [Accessed 28 May 2022]
SECONDARY SOURCES
Websites:
Britannica. (2019). Bollywood film industry, India. [online]. Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bollywood-film-industry-India> [Accessed 15 May 2022].
Britannica. (2022). Dadasaheb Phalke | Indian director. [image)] Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dadasaheb-Phalke>. [Accessed 24 May 2022].
Chaudhuri, Z.R. (2013). Lights, camera, lenses: A photo project focuses on the forgotten characters of India’s film history. Scroll.in. [online]. Available at: <https://scroll.in/magazine/902732/lights-camera-lenses-a-photo-project-focuses-on-the-forgotten-characters-of-indias-film-history> [Accessed 29 May 2022].
DESIblitz. (2014). Impact of Bollywood on Indian Culture. [online]. Available at: <https://www.desiblitz.com/content/impact-bollywood-indian-culture> [Accessed 22 May 2022].
Fernandez, J. (2018). India, The Indian Express. [online] Available at: <https://indianexpress.com/about/jacqueline-fernandez/>. [Accessed 24 May 2022].
Ferriter, D. (2017). Inglorious Empire: what the British did to India. [online] The Irish Times. Available at: <https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/inglorious-empire-what-the-british-did-to-india-1.2981299> [Accessed 1 May 2022].
Grant, A. (2018). What Is Bollywood? A Brief History of Indian Cinema. [online]. LiveAbout. Available at: <https://www.liveabout.com/what-is-bollywood-3549901> [Accessed 3 June 2022].
Google Arts & Culture. (2022). Great Depression in India - Google Arts & Culture. [online] Available at: <https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/great-depression-in-india/m01198smb?hl=en> [Accessed 1 May 2022].
Hong, Y. (2021). The power of Bollywood: A study on opportunities, challenges, and audiences’ perceptions of Indian cinema in China. Global Media and China. [online]. Available at: <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20594364211022605> [Accessed 1 June 2022].
Indian Express (2022). Dadasaheb Phalke. [online] Available at: <https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/dadasaheb-phalke-some-lesser-known-facts-about-the-father-of-indian-cinema/> [Accessed 1 May 2022].
Indiatimes.com. (2019). Bollywood News, Latest Bollywood Gossip, Actresses, Actors, Movies, Films India | Entertainment - Times of India. [online]. Available at: <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news> [Accessed 26 May 2022].
Johar, K , Parikh, S. (2001). Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. IMDb [online]. Available at: <https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0248126/>. [Accessed 24 May 2022].
Khan Academy. (2022). The baby boom (article) | Khan Academy. [online] Available at: <https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/postwarera/postwar-era/a/the-baby-boom> [Accessed 1 May 2022].
Nast, C. (2022). 10 beauty and wellness tricks you can learn from Jacqueline Fernandez's Instagram. [online] Vogue India. Available at: <https://www.vogue.in/beauty/content/jacqueline-fernandez-instagram-best-skincare-makeup-health-tips> [Accessed 1 May 2022].
National Herald. (2022). Satyajit Ray’s films are unique, original and one of a kind: Shyam Benegal. [online] Available at: <https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/cafe/satyajit-rays-films-are-unique-original-and-one-of-a-kind-shyam-benegal> [Accessed 1 May 2022].
Patil, D. (2020). How would you like to shoot a Bollywood movie?. [image]. Available at: <https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/how-would-you-like-to-shoot-a-bollywood-movie/> [Accessed 12 June 2022].
Rao, R. (2022). Baburao Painter. [online] Cinemaazi. Available at: <https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/baburao-painter> [Accessed 2 June 2022].
Sethi, N. (2022). 13 years of 'Om Shanti Om': 13 ways the film paid tribute to the ‘golden era of cinema’ - Times of
India. [image]. The Times of India. Available at: <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/13-years-of-om-shanti-om-13-ways-the-film-paid-tribute-to-the-golden-era-of-cinema/articleshow/79119691.cms> [Accessed 12 June 2022].
Srivastava, R. (2021). Does Bollywood contribute to the Indian economy? Bollywood News | Movie Reviews. [online]. Available at: <https://bollywoodsociety.com/movies/does-bollywood-contribute-to-the-indian-economy/> [Accessed 24 May 2022].
Venkateswaran, S. (September 2014). Amid recession, hopes float for Bollywood. The Economic Times. [online]. Available at: <https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/economy/amid-recession-hopes-float-for-bollywood/articleshow/3745801.cms?from=mdr> [Accessed 24 May 2022].
Videos:
Creative House. (2016). History of Bollywood. Youtube video. 12 May 2010. Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=BgeblQQHyEc> [Accessed 29 May 2022].
Viral History. (2019). Bollywood- the History of Indian Cinema! YouTube video. 25 February. Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PAe-TFbtEw> [Accessed 24th May 2022].
Youtube. (2014). Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani Full Movie in HD Ranbir Kapoor , Deepika Padukone , Aditya Roy Kapoor. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lzAQNRW0JA [Accessed 11/6/2022].
Annotated Bibliography
Raja Harishchandra Image
The image is a primary visual source, an extract from the first full-length Indian feature film released by Bollywood: Raja Harishchandra. It is a reliable primary source as it is from the original movie itself, produced in 1913 by Dadasaheb Phalke. The credibility of this source is highly trustworthy as It was from the time and place where Bollywood originated and evolved since. Furthermore, the film was a huge success and a significant milestone in Indian cinematic history and in many ways, it paved a smooth future for Bollywood.
Phalke, D. (1913). Raja Harishchandra. [image]. Available at: <https://i2.cinestaan.com/image-bank/1500-1500/20001-21000/20521.jpg> [Accessed 2 June 2022].
- Raja Harishchandra: The first Indian silent feature film, produced in 1913 by Dadasaheb Phalke.
Source: India New England News
- Photo of Dadasaheb Phalke taken before creating a short film, "Ankurachi Wadh" showcasing a seed growing within a month.
Source: Indiatimes.com
Dadasaheb Phalke Quote
"I have to keep making films in my country so that it gets established as an industry at home."
The quote is a primary oral source, said by Dadasaheb Phalke. This was said on the 21st of September 1917 when he refused to go to London to make films quoted in "Marathi film on Phalke is India's Oscar Entry". It was retrieved on 25 December 1917. This is a reliable source because it was said by an important figure in early Bollywood and this quote has been captured on recording allowing for evidence. This quote shows how his mindset and beliefs would've impacted and contributed to the success of Bollywood from the early stage.
Svoboda, M. (1917). Dadasaheb Phalke quotes (7 quotes) | Quotes of famous people. Quotepark.com. Available at: <https://quotepark.com/authors/dadasaheb-phalke/#:~:text=%E2%80%9C> [Accessed 29 May 2022].
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Baburao Image
- Dadasaheb Phalke’s Raja Harishchandra had triggered off great enthusiasm among many aspiring filmmakers. Among them was a young man, Baburao Painter.
Source: Cinemaazi.com
This image displays Baburao, a famous painter who introduced many innovations that made the job of other filmmakers easier. For instance, he was the first to use a technique called 'stenographic' in India. He would sketch character movements and even costumes with the screenplay. In other words, he was the first Indian filmmaker to create storyboards for his films. We chose this primary source because it is from a well-known, reliable, and a fact-based website. The author, retelling the information about the image is reliable as their research is very thorough, and they validate the website’s credibility. This website was useful in providing materials about the evolution of the Bollywood industry in 1930 as it included some facts as well.
Rao, R., 2022. Baburao Painter. [online] Cinemaazi. Available at: <https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/baburao-painter> [Accessed 2 June 2022].
Alam Ara Newspaper article
Ardeshir Irani's ambitious project Alam Ara ushered in a new wave in Indian cinema and was the first Indian talkie film. It brought sound in the cinema, ending the silent era. The first Indian talkie, Alam Ara completes 92 years this. This newspaper article published in 1930 advertises and glamorises the first Indian talkie. Every single, author, publisher and editor are highly experienced in the field they are writing about (being newspaper articles). We decided to utilise this website because it is from Encyclopaedia Britannica, and it is highly renowned for being a high quality, educational and informative resource.
Biswas, S., 2022. Alam Ara: Search for the lost film that gave birth to Bollywood. [online] BBC News. Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61404876> [Accessed 2 June 2022].
- Alam Ara was the first Indian sound film made in 1931 directed by Ardeshir Irani.
Source: BBC.com