Sir, Your message smacks of ignorance and philistinism. Firstly some great movies that came from Hollywood dealt with suffering, for example Schindler's List dealt with suffering on mass scale while One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest dealt with suffering of an individual. Secondly the movies cited as examples in the article cover the gamut of subjects.
If you continue to live in your little cave thinking that the only movies worth seeing are masala movies then you are sadly missing out. Masala movies are good in their way but just as you can't live exclusively on a diet of laddoos and jilebis...
Movies are entertainment, basically. People don't pay to watch misery. people want to feel good. You forget that the entire world knows that there is extreme poverty, misery and unimaginable filth all over India. Inside even the so called very rich quarters. Beauty, grandeur, authentic music, dance from India presented in 'Devdas' was refreshing.
Riches, grandeur was always part of Royal India.
A blue eyed beauty born in southern India, intrigues the outside world. World knows that all the way back, in history there was immigration of so called 'Aryan' tribes to Northern India, from Central Asia,which was part of Russia. India had lot of riches lost to European world, also the Famed Jewelers such as Cartiers, Harry Winston not only bought but Europeanized Indian style jewelery.
People are curious about who Indians really are, out side India. Indians themselves neither are aware about themselves nor care, (unfortunately). These days Indians copy WEST, without understanding the essence of it. Which is realy going back to being 'apes' from a highly advanced Indian civilization.
This article tells the truth which lied hidden , untold or undiscovered. The hype created by or for the wealthy-glamorous- show stealing bollywood films is really hindering the growth of good and realistic cinema in the country. I would share an unknown fact that 'Devdas' the much applauded film went to Oscar bypassing maniratnam's "Kannathil Muthamittal". If one views both films with a neutral and reality oriented attitude, the difference is easily seen. The craft, the style and the story presented by Mani would humble the overdrmatic, extravagant "Devdas" in all aspects. As Mani was not Bharath Shah and as the film was not made in hindi, he could not get through.
There is no doubt that leaving apart SOME (countable on the five fingers of a human hand) films, Bollywood has churned out absolute trash.. or has copied masterpieces (that too poorly..)
It is really sad to see films like Devdas (which appears like an eccentric fantasy of a fluke director who visulaizes himself to be among the greatest of the great....DuH) hog the limelight when real masterpieces fm the other parts of the country go unnoticed... Cannes is absolutely right when they rate Bollywood amongst the trash.. cos that is the fact... Barring some good films by new directors, Bollywood has been rotting in the hands of "so called geniuses" who keep promoting themselves....
It is highly appreciable that the media cares about the "other films" too..!! Malayalam and Bengali films have brought out some real masterpieces which touch the very soul of an art lover... It is not uncommon while watching such beautifully made films, to feel and enjoy the brilliantly potrayed "indomnitable spirit of human courage/determination" through all odds.. It makes us weep and introspect.. It makes us happy..sometimes humble.. Some feelings which rarely get generated by Bollywood trash.
Thanks to Deepa Gehlot and rediff for posting this article. It is very unfortunate that third rate movies from bollywood gets a lot more recognition than top class movies made in regional languages. it is a sorry state of affairs when the real talent and culture of our land is marginalised for some fake make believe celluloid trash that emanates from the pits called bollywood.
It is about time that we gave these classy film makers their due. But firstly it is necessary to get more indians to see their movies before we can go tom-tomming our talent elsewhere, that is when true change can happen.
The article sounds like you are blaming the readers about not allowing the smaller movies to get the fame it deserves. But I feel you have to blame yourself, it is you people who write the articles and we just read them. If the small screen movies have not got the fame then the question is y dint they. Simple... You never wrote about them... I am not sure if u did... and today because you dont have anything else to write about so you are writing about them. U r trying to show finger towards some actors in ur article but thats only one finger do u notice the other three are pointing u.
Yeah,I too noticed that some readars are just running to criticise only.Like they are nagged by these columns.Then don't reda.Read what you like,yaar. Some are misleaded,I guess.This isn't about Bollywood or like you call "the crap" or commercial or masalas and the art movies.It is just saying that our other Indian movies had made much progress and they are not getting much public buzz. We are just looking on the glamorous side and their news. We should know and appreciate these artists, who have got recognised by the big fests.Its nothing about commercail and arts.Watch you want.But do know what else is going on.Our Indians are also great. About rediff articles,they are great.There are 2 kinds of audience-onw who wants serious news and who wants gossips ot like that.They are giving both.Then why we brag about these?
This definitely is the right opinion about the sorry condition of the indian film industry & the indian masses. Bollywood hardly comes out with quality original movies, yet our immensely talented regional directors & actors, & art film people are appreciated only in the west, simply because neither the masses nor the government, neither the press/media nor the the influential filmstars and industrialists in India have the level of intellect to appreciate quality stuff. India with its great cultural history is now culturally a shallow country.
Good article, though I would have liked it to be a little more objective.
The Indian media lately has been choking people with the bollywood coverage. What does Bollywood has to show for it? 1 hit per year? Films with titles as long as the tail of Haly's comet that nobody will remember the next day? Films with nano size plot and 15 songs picturized in wonderful locations of Burkina Faso? who cares?
If Bollywood gives one a reason to go to a theater at least twice a year then probably one would tolerate media headlines on bollywood. The way things are now, it doesn't deseve any of the free coverage it is getting.
Wonderful article! For once, someone has written something truly noteworthy. I commend you in taking a stance against the norm. Its not just Hindi cinema that makes Bollywood. It is also the other truly fine cinema like Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, etc that makes the diaspora of Bollywood. The other languages should not be ignored, as these are the ones that will truly bring glory to Indian moviemaking, not the fluff that passes for movies nowadays!
