Reflections - Is Salman's quest for change of term 'Bollywood' justifiable? Click here to add this article to My Clips
By Joginder Tuteja, February 7, 2011 - 12:35 ISTSalman Khan Salman Khan recently tweeted that he hates the word 'Bollywood'. By doing this, he has joined the likes of many out there who aren't too pleased with Bollywood as the chosen "name" for Hindi film industry. While Amitabh Bachchan is another top celebrity who has made his displeasure quite clear about the industry being made to look like a poor cousin of Hollywood with it being addressed as Bollywood, Salman Khan has opened the debate all over again. No wonder, it is also the topic of discussion for this week's 'Reflections'.
Is it really an issueIf Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan are the select few who have expressed their displeasure about 'Bollywood' being in circulation, it is fine as they are entitled to their opinion. However, the question that comes to one's mind is - 'Other than the fact that it is made to sound like Hollywood and hence presumed to be a poorer cousin of the films coming from West, is it really an issue if Bollywood continues to be the chosen word?'
After all, at the end of the day, Bollywood is just a word and the one which has given Hindi film industry its identity. It may have borrowed from its Western counterparts but how does it actually make a difference? At the end of the day, the term is in circulation for decades now and generations have called the Hindi film industry by this name.
Will a change really make any difference?ay was changed to Mumbai and there was much cry and outrage amongst those who loved the city by the name which was around for decades. So did the same people who swore by Bombay actually started calling it Mumbai? I suspect.
So why a reference to Mumbai v/s Bombay? Well, the reason is simple. Even if Bollywood changes to anything else, it is impossible to imagine it being called by a different name for many more years at the least. Moreover, for the world (a few million and that's about it) which uses the word 'Bollywood' in their day to day vocabulary, one can't expect the change to settle down in practical terms.
Why an outrageThereThat's because other than a select few in the industry, not a single soul can be considered to be sensitive around the background of Bollywood coinage. For them, it is just a word that takes them into a world where they wish to be seated in darkness and enjoy an outing on the big screen. Now whether this finds its base in Hindi film industry, Western fim industry or any other film industry is of least importance.
Salman Khan Widespread change? An impossible taskIf Bombay changes to Mumbai, it is still (theoretically at the least) possible because there is a certain diktat that was set around it. However one can't expect the film industry to take any such drastic steps because first and foremost, the term Bollywood is hardly a 'listed' one. This also means that there is no one person or organisation having an authority over the word. Just like no one can force anyone to use the term Bollywood in their conversation, same holds true vice versa as well.
Resultantly, even if tomorrow there is a body which is formed that mandates stoppage of Hindi film industry being addressed as Bollywood, there would be many out there who would follow their own path and won't really have anyone commanding them to stop doing that. Hypothetically speaking, even if the industry in general stands up to call Bollywood by a different name, there would be other bodies that may have their own reasoning.
Now that would include media for sure which can't be expected to stand in unison for this 'cause' (if at all it can be termed one). Everyone in Indian media at the least can well be expected to have his/her own agenda and one can well expect factions to be developed here. And not to forget the global media which anyways knows the Hindi film industry by only one name - 'Bollywood'.
Are we hesitant to changOf course people would say - 'Change is good'. Yes, it indeed is. But when the change by itself is based on a foundation which is questionable and sounds like the one which has been established just for the sake of it without any real need, purpose or objective, it just ends up being the kind that can be relegated to the background with the industry concentrating on something far more important.
Really, for all practical purposes, the entire exercise is futile and at the end of the day just a fodder for debate. There would definitely be pros and cons but when it comes to practicality, feasibility and most importantly, acceptability of the change, it is impossible to see that truly happening.
So yes, I truly believe that Bollywood is as sweet sounding as it gets, isn't derogatory at all, gives Hindi film industry it's own identity in the way it is addressed, is the much used and loved word for many out there (whether belonging to the industry or outside it) and should just be left as it is without any thought being given around making a change.
That's my thought, what's yoursGoooood Mrning people... if you thought that the month of February only meant Love, Romance and Valentines... then think again, for its also the month of Guess Who, the game which is, by now, popularly known as 'World's Envy, India's Pride'
The Mystery Guest this week is someone who stands for Acting (with a capital 'A')! He is someone who showed the world that acting has got nothing to do with the mother tongue. Besides the million films in which he starred in, his masterpiece will always remain the one in which he starred alongwith Big B, the same film which is now being remade with the Gen-Next superstars! If that wasn't 'clue' enough, then, you can always catch up with him on your idiot box. Looking at his career ka safar so far, all that we can say is ...'Kya Baat, Kya Baat, Kya Baat hai Sir..." We are really very proud of you!
If you think that you have guessed who this week's Guess Who, then, waste no time and post your answers below:
Dev Anand's heroines Nanda, Sadhana dodge premiere Click here to add this article to My Clips
By Subhash K. Jha, 2011 - 11:38 ISTDev Anand From Aamir Khan-Kiran Rao to Shabana Azmi-Javed Akhtar, Shatrughan Sinha, Naseeuddin Shah to Ranbir Kapoor...the entire who's who of the film fraternity turned up for the premiere of Dev Anand's Hum Dono on Thursday night. Except for the two leading ladies. While one of them Nanda begged off saying she was unwell when Dev Anand called her personally, the other leading lady Sadhana apparently didn't even take Dev Saab's call!
It is an unwritten rule in the Indian film industry that no one ever says no to Dev Anand. That rule just changed. Two of Dev Saab's former co-stars,the legendary but alas reclusive Sadhana and Nanda who played the two heroines in the 1961 blockbuster drama Hum Dono declined to attend the premier of the classic's colorized digital version of the classic that is being revived with much fanfare and gusto.
Most excited of all was of course the film's leading man the indefatigable Dev Anand who plays a double role opposite Sadhana and Nanda. Apparently the ebullient evergreen hero personally called up his two Hum Dono divas asking them to be present by his side at the joyous revival of the classic, not thinking for second they would turn down his invitation.
To Dev Saab's shock and annoyance both Sadhana and Nanda declined the invitation to attend the premiere.
A senior actress, who is close to both Nanda and Sadhana, defends her colleagues' elusiveness. "Dev Saab personally invited them. But neither Nanda nor Sadhana is attending. I tried to convince them to go since it's a big moment for them both. Hum Dono was a turning point in their careers. But they are much too nervous of crowds. Unlike Dev Saab who enjoys public appearances and interaction with fans Sadhana and Nanda are away from the limelight. Sadly they missed out on this glorious moment."
Euphoric with the attendance and ovation at the premiere Dev Saab expressed regret at his two leading ladies' absence from the premiere
Said the indefatigable star, "The turn-out was heartwarming. All four screens were packed. It's a pity that Nanda and Sadhana could not be there. Nanda said she was unwell…I think they were shy. When you're away from the limelight for so long the clamorous adoring crowds can become a bit too much to handle. I intend to send them a bouquet each. After all Hum Dono is a triumph for them as well."
It's really nice to know what success does to people. After the success of films like Damini, Ghayal the proverbial 'dhaai kilo ka haath' only became more and strong with every passing film.
But the BO results of the latest blockbuster Yamla Pagla Deewana have changed it all. The'dhaai kilo ka haath' image has now given way to a very soft spoken Sunny Deol, who is now all set to play the role of a ... hold your breath... a Sanskrit teacher!
No wonder then, Sunny has started 'sporting' a dhoti, the tikka and the moustache these days. The film is called Mohalla 80 and is being directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, who shot to overnight fame with the television series of 'Chanakya', followed by the film Pinjar.
Sunny Deol, for whom learning Sanskrit has become a priority, expressed his desire to Bollywood Hungama that his dream role was that of his father Dharmendra's Satyakam. Sunny is confident that Mohalla 80 will prove to be a Satyakam for him.
The said film is slated for an August 2011 release. IN FEAURESSort by : Whats New - Most Rated - Most Popular - Most Emailed
3 reasons why Hum Dono didn't find audience Click here to add this article to My Clips
By Joginder Tuteja, February 7, 2011 - 14:03 ISTThe weekend gone by saw the re-release of Hum Dono in a coloured version with enhanced picture quality and sound. Though Dev Anand was understandably gung-ho about the event, eventually Hum Dono Rangeen (the new title of the film) just turned out to be a show of goodwill for him with the industry coming in unison on its arrival, 50 years since it's release. However, the box office told a different tale with audience not quite driving in hordes to catch it in theatre.
The makers may have thought that just like Mughal-E-Azam (which had re-released a few years earlier in a coloured version) or Sholay (which has been re-released a number of times already), even Hum Dono would manage to find an audience for itself. However, when compared to Mughal-E-Azam which had seen good success coming it's way on it's re-release 6 years ago, Hum Dono Rangeen didn't find any takers.
There are three main reasons for that. First and foremost, there was hardly any promotion due to which audience was unaware if Hum Dono Rangeen had actually released in theatres. Yes, Dev Anand did hot a premiere for the film and also reached out to the public via a few interviews and appearances etc. However, in the times of an aggressive in-your-face promotion, this wasn't good enough.
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