By Lubna Abdel-Aziz If you feel totally immersed in a lavish, romantic, vibrant melodrama, multicoloured in dreamlike visions of hopeless irreality, you are probably watching a Bollywood movie. This fictional stereotype of Indian culture, a figment of foreigners' (firangis) imagination, so strongly moulded Indians, that they themselves, have come to identify with this fictitious illusion, so splendidly portrayed on the screen, as the essence of Bollywood lore. What is it that makes a film uniquely Bollywood? Firstly its length, at least 2 to 3 hours, followed by its exuberant music, song, dance, scenery and costumes, and not least of all, its insipid melodrama of star-crossed lovers, infidelity, conflict and crime, leaving nothing to the imagination of the viewer, yet still leaving him happy and thoroughly satisfied. Once dismissed and disdained as nothing more than fluff and froth, Indian films have assumed a new status of appreciation and esteem amongst the elite of the film world. For years Bollywoodians disregarded the snobbery and condemnation of serious festivals and film institutions. They toiled and laboured, refining and perfecting their unique form of filmmaking. Originally scoffed by Cannes Film Festival, which had once offered "Best Human Documents" to India's renowned film director Satyajit Ray for Pather Panchali in 1955 (one of his famous Apu Trilogy), the haughty Cannes organisers came to kow- tow before Bollywood and paid it special homage in 2004. Ray also received Oscar's Lifetime Achievement Award. Now Hollywood producers' try to recreate the Bollywood style (as in Baz Luhrman Moulin Rouge) and Bollywood must be genuinely beaming. The origins of Bollywood (1890) are even older than those of Hollywood. It was in 1899 that India produced its first short film, Pundalik, and it took Hollywood another 11 years to produce its first creation, a biographical melodrama. The first Indian full length feature Rasha Harichandra (1913) was silent. When sound was introduced in 1930, the industry grew exponentially producing over 200 films annually. To date it has produced 67,000 films, becoming the largest industry in the world in terms of film production and ticket sales. It has yet to catch up in revenues with big brother Hollywood, but it is trying hard. Admittedly Hollywood has eclipsed every other national cinema except for Bollywood, grossing $51 billion in 2006, while Bollywood averages $1.3 billion. Cost plays a major part in productivity. Hollywood films cost an average of $60 million and super productions can reach well over $100 million, On the other hand Bollywood films cost a mere fraction - $5 to 8.6 million. The costliest Bollywood production to date was Shekar Kapur's Paani ($20 million). More ambitious producers are breaking new ground for bigger budget Bollywood fare such as Ronnie Screwvala, who produced such films as The Namesake, and is now busy finishing director N Shayamalan The Happening, a sci-fi thriller with a $57 million budget. Bollywood (a composite of Bombay now Mumbai, and Hollywood) is the centre of the Indian film industry. Indian films are popular in many Asian markets as well as all the English speaking nations like US, Canada, Australia, UK. The films are spoken in Hindi, Urdu, and English, and appeal to millions within India as well as Indians outside. 20 million Indians go to watch Bollywood films daily, whilst 20 million who make the Indian Diaspora around the four corners of the globe have opened a great market for Bollywood productions. Although Bollywood is by no means all that India produces, there are industries all over the country, but Bollywood films remain the most popular. A movement towards art features, known as the New Cinema, aspires to seriousness but often loses at the box office to the massive appeal of Bollywood. The romantic songs, the tableaus of myriad colours, the costumes and the melodrama, offer a quality of entertainment that has definite appeal. Perhaps this very escapist process is what we essentially seek when we decide to pay for a ticket, enter a dark theatre and immerse ourselves completely in a magical world of colour and beauty, that their big screen has to offer. By 2000 Bollywood's popularity was busting all over. Even the brilliant Andrew Lloyd Weber ( Evita, Cats )was parading his Bombay Dreams on the London stage, scoring another big hit with his fans. India's unique style of entertainment finally caught on. After 30 years of earnest productivity, Indian films, Indian movie stars, Indian writers, directors, producers, were beginning to find their place on the world map. This interest drove the filmmakers to new heights in terms of quality, cinematography, and innovative story lines. Moviegoers came in ever increasing numbers to see the likes of one Amitabh Bachchan, the most popular actor of all time, in a BBC survey, with Lawrence Olivier coming a distant second. Thirty years in the business, he is known as Mr Bollywood, and is one of the most celebrated people in the world. Critical acclaim was awarded the late Ismail Merchant who, together with director James Ivory produced Oscar- calibre features such as Remains of the Day and Room With a View. Screenwriter and director Mira Nair of Monsoon Wedding is a world renowned name in film, and who can ignore the most beautiful woman in the world Aichwaria Rai, whose presence adorns every international film festival. Bollywsood has grown dramatically while retaining its magical blend of cultural and artistic expression, star power, commercialism and globalisation. 'Masala' is a mixture of Indian herbs that create a unique Indian taste. This can well be applied to the distinctive mix of Bollywood genre, and its full flavoured peppery spice. Do not expect haut gout, but be ready to savour the pungent twang that will tickle your palate, leaving you with a lasting after taste, hungry and thirsty for more. How can you help it? You are carried through every range of emotion, thrilling to romance, humming melodious tunes, dancing on the clouds. As you effortlessly float from one passion to another, your pulse quickens at the sight of violence crime, tragedy, action, suspense. What a heterogenous structure leaving us stunned and stupefied. We can hardly wait for the next ecstatic escape to Bollywood! If you have not sampled a Bollywood creation, the Cairo International Film festival (27 Nov-7 Dec) will offer a retrospective of Indian films where East meets West in a triumphantly resplendent harmony -- an opportunity not to be missed. Like Indian curry, a Bollywood film will become a classic staple on every viewer's menu. More often than not, you will crave that special 'masala,' unique to India. Bollywood shall prevail, to the delight of filmgoers around the world. Where there's music there can be no evil -- Miguel de Cervantes Don Quixote (1547-1616)
