I Went To India To Learn About Bollywood
TLDRThe video follows film critic Patrick Willems as he embarks on a journey to learn about and experience Bollywood and Indian cinema firsthand. He watches pivotal Bollywood films spanning decades, visits iconic shooting locations in Mumbai, and immerses himself in Indian culture. With help from his friend Siddhant, Patrick discovers how Bollywood has evolved over time while retaining its unique identity. The video explores major figures like Raj Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan, the centrality of music, and common themes related to culture and society. Patrick reflects on how Indian cinema challenges Western preconceptions and expresses a desire for greater appreciation across borders.
Takeaways
- 😊 Patrick learns about and explores Bollywood and Indian cinema, going on an immersive trip to India
- 🎥 He watches 8 seminal Bollywood films spanning from the 1950s to the 2000s
- 🎶 The films showcase different eras and genres - social dramas, romances, sports dramas, etc.
- 🚌 Patrick visits iconic Bollywood landmarks and production studios in Mumbai
- 🕺 He experiences Indian culture and attends a Bollywood dance class
- 👪 Prominent figures like Raj Kapoor establish acting dynasties over generations
- 🎤 Playback singing becomes integral to Bollywood musicals
- 😮 Patrick discovers that on-screen kissing is taboo in older Indian films
- 🏏 He attempts to play cricket and attends a match after watching 'Lagaan'
- 🎉 The journey culminates in a big Bollywood-style dance number
Q & A
What was the inspiration for Patrick to make this video about Bollywood?
-Patrick was embarrassed to admit that RRR was the first Indian movie he had seen despite India producing more movies than any other country. This made him want to learn more about Indian cinema, specifically Bollywood as the most well known industry.
How does Patrick establish Shahrukh Khan's fame and significance?
-Patrick compares Shahrukh Khan to being as big a deal in India as Elvis Presley was at his peak in the USA. He also notes that Khan is nicknamed 'King Khan' and that people gather outside his house daily hoping to see him.
What is the meaning of the term 'masala film' that is used to describe Sholay?
-In food, 'masala' refers to a mix of spices. In film, it means a mix of genres. So Sholay immediately establishes itself as an Indian take on Spaghetti Westerns before pivoting into other genres seamlessly.
How does the portrayal of romance differ between traditional Bollywood films and Western films?
-Despite often having strong romantic storylines, Bollywood films rarely showed on-screen kissing until recently due to cultural reasons and censorship. The closest interaction tended to be passionate hugging instead.
Who is Lagaan comparable to in terms of American sports movies?
-Lagaan has similarities to American underdog sports movies like Rudy, Hoosiers, The Bad News Bears, etc in terms of plot and character archetypes.
How did Dil Chahta Hai reflect Gen X culture and differ from previous films covered?
-It explored post-college uncertainty and aimlessness more than traditional ideas like arranged marriage and family legacies. It also had a very Y2K aesthetic in music/fashion instead of being timeless.
What is the significance of Om Shanti Om's title?
-It's named after a song from an earlier reincarnation revenge film called Karz starring Rishi Kapoor, whose father Raj Kapoor and grandfather Prithviraj appeared in this video's first film Awaara.
How did this experience change Patrick's perception of Indian cinema?
-It made Patrick realize how little he truly knows still, despite learning a lot. It showed him there are rich, diverse stories told through different regional film industries beyond the Bollywood surface.
What were some of the main takeaways covered about the history and evolution of Bollywood?
-The video explores how Bollywood films have evolved from early socially-conscious black & white dramas to colorful escapist musicals to more grounded, intimate stories reflecting young modern India.
Which of the films covered stood out most to you and why?
-Subjective question with no definitive answer. Viewers may cite films that aligned with their tastes or cultural touchstones depicted in certain films.
Outlines
🎥 Introducing the journey into Indian cinema
The video introduces the journey to learn about Indian cinema, specifically Bollywood. It mentions how Indian cinema is mostly ignored in the West and the goal is to highlight key movies and figures over 60 years, starting with early black and white dramas in the 1950s through modern blockbusters in the 2000s.
🎶 Unique aspects of Bollywood musicals
The paragraph explains some key differences between Bollywood musicals and Western musicals - songs are an integral part of most Indian films, actors usually don't sing the songs themselves, and synchronization of sound was not common until recently.
🚌 Traveling to India for an immersive experience
The host travels to India to fully immerse in Indian culture and learn about Bollywood first-hand. He explores Mumbai, tries local food, visits famous landmarks, and gets a feel for the chaotic but vibrant city.
🎬 Raj Kapoor's influential classic - Awaara
The first featured film is Raj Kapoor's 1951 Awaara, a political drama about the influence of environment on criminality. Kapoor directed, wrote and starred in this groundbreaking film which became hugely popular globally.
🎥 Guru Dutt, India's Orson Welles & Pyaasa
Next is Guru Dutt's 1957 film Pyaasa, a poetic character study of a struggling poet. Dutt is compared to Orson Welles and the film features dream-like fantasy sequences typical of the era.
🌟 Mughal-e-Azam - a lavish historical epic
1960's Mughal-e-Azam was the most expensive Indian film of its time. A historical epic around Mughal prince Salim falling for a court dancer. Featured lavish sets and costumes and long, troubled production.
💥 Sholay reinvents the masala genre
Sholay from 1975 set the template for the masala genre - a mix of genres including action, comedy, romance and drama. Became the highest grossing Indian film ever at the time.
🎆 Experiencing Holi first-hand
They attend the Holi celebrations in Mumbai to tie in with a pivotal musical sequence around the Hindu spring festival of colors featured in Sholay.
🎥 DDLJ - Defining the modern Bollywood romance
1995's Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge launched Shahrukh Khan to superstardom. A contemporary romance about London-raised Indians, it led to a wave of diaspora-aimed films.
🌾 Lagaan - Quintessential underdog sports tale
Lagaan from 2001 is an Oscar-nominated sports drama about a cricket match between Indian villagers and their British colonizers. Compared to Hollywood underdog sports movies.
🏏 Learning cricket first-hand
They attend a major India vs Australia cricket match in Mumbai to better understand the sport which features prominently in Lagaan's storyline.
👫 Dil Chahta Hai - Gen X aimlessness
2001 coming-of-age film Dil Chahta Hai focuses on post-college urban youth struggling with careers and relationships. Much more modern than previous films.
🏖️ Escaping to Goa, setting of a key scene
They visit Goa where a pivotal scene in Dil Chahta Hai was filmed. Goa is seen as an escape destination for young Indians from big cities.
😎 Om Shanti Om - Star-studded celebration of Bollywood
Om Shanti Om from 2007 features over 30 star cameos across generations of Bollywood. A reincarnation romance revenge film packed with homages and references.
👋 Bidding farewell after an eye-opening experience
The journey through Indian cinema has concluded. The host reflects on key learnings but realizes how little he still knows, teasing many more potential stories to explore.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Bollywood
💡playback singer
💡sholay
💡ddlj
💡Lagaan
💡Farhan Akhtar
💡Om Shanti Om
💡Film City
💡Kapoor family
💡Censorship
Highlights
India produces more movies than any other country on Earth about 2,000 every year
Western culture just decided decades ago that oh yeah Indian movies are all those wacky musicals where everyone's always dancing
Avara becomes the highest grossing film ever in any language not just in India but also in China and the Soviet Union
Sholay is like if you mixed Indiana Jones, The Pink Panther, Once Upon a Time in the West and Singing in the Rain together into a single film
DDLJ felt pretty timeless. Dil Chahta Hai explores post college uncertainty in a way that feels way more Gen X
No nudity or sex scenes because of India's strict censorship but no one ever kisses on screen
Lata Mangeshkar performed songs for more than 20 movies in a single year. I can't think of a western equivalent
Om Shanti Om is literally celebrating Bollywood - packed with cameos and references. It's a reincarnation revenge movie
If you're an American going I love Bollywood movies - well that's awesome but you are an anomaly
I'm very bad at cricket and I'm probably going to regret putting that footage in this video
Western culture just decided decades ago that Indian movies are wacky musicals. Yes some are wacky and most are musicals but let's be real, wouldn't most American movies be better if they were musicals?
Telugue cinema has exploded in the last 20 years. I have barely scratched the surface and there are still so many other industries in India
Mubi is genuinely one of my favorite streaming services. It's curated by people who love movies and a fantastic place to discover new films
It may not be a happy ending but it's enough.. wait a second that doesn't feel right
This would not exist without Sidhant. He pitched the idea, planned everything, came up with movie list. I just went along for the ride
Transcripts
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