Can Bollywood Films Really Crossover?

Participants Anupam Kher (actor)

Doha Tribeca Film Festival Panel Discussion

What should Bollywood do to crossover from its self-

Avtar Paresar (International marketing, Yash Raj Films)

Ashutosh Gowariker (director)

sufficient domestic market and cater to a larger

international audience? Should all colours Bollywood of Bollywood Cinema only paint for the home audience? What, if anything, should change?

By Navya Vibhunath 05-Dec-12

What Bollywood should do to crossover from its self-sufficient domestic market and cater to a larger international audience? Most Bollywood films are made for the masses in India, and they usually are family entertainers, with the staples of song and dance, which has become Bollywoods trademark. Anupam Kher voiced his dissent of this popular song and dance movie stereotype, and the stereotype that Bollywood is not capable of intelligent cinema. Anupam Kher said that Indian movies need not change its style specifically and that Indian cinema is a genre in itself. He opined to maintain the originality of Indian cinema. Avtar Paresar supported this by saying that Bollywood movies had grossed millions in worldwide markets such as China, Korea, and Germany, for exactly what they were. He said that Indians need not be apologetic about the song and dance genre. Ashutosh Gowariker also said that intelligent cinema also needed support in the home market due to the monopoly of song and dance genre. In response to this, Anupam Kher said that movies that do not touch the heart of a person arent really good movies, be it of any genre. As the Indian market needs some melodrama for the movie to touch peoples hearts, a balance between melodrama and artistic thought and expression must be sought in movies to have a universal appeal, concluded Ashutosh Gowariker.