There was a time when a multi-look movie with item numbers created a zing and did a good deal at the box office. But nowadays things are changing very fast and Bollywood is embracing western style and techniques which is quite evident in some of the recent movies like Kambakkht Ishq, Love Aaj Kal and Blue etc. Hollywood stars and celebrities like supermodels, pop singers or famous actors are entering the Bollywood film industry. Although critics may criticize Bollywood against Hollywood saying that Bollywood’s total earnings in 2006 were only half of the earnings that only one Hollywood studio Walt Disney made in 2006. But the fact is, Hollywood is mesmerized by Bollywood. Bollywood has a lot to present to Hollywood and, similarly, Hollywood influences Bollywood as well.
Which is superior, Hollywood or Bollywood? The discussion is endless. Although Hollywood is well ahead of Bollywood in terms of revenue, Bollywood’s influence in the global film industry is gaining new heights. Hollywood’s profits don’t depend solely on ticket sales. It has adopted the proven ‘franchise formula’ in which a large part of the income or income comes from other sources such as television networks, magazines, home videos, etc. Without a doubt, Bollywood is also considering this aspect to promote its business. But income is not the only factor that must be taken into account, there are other aspects to take into account as well, such as history, music, song and dance sequences, photography, technology, etc.
The main difference between Hollywood and Bollywood commercial films is that song and dance sequences are an essential feature of Indian films. Professional play-back singers sing songs with the same lips as movie characters played by actors and actresses. Meanwhile, there is no such thing as song and dance in Hollywood. Hence, they are drawn to Bollywood. Bollywood movies are a good source of entertainment featuring anything like a Santa Claus gift bag, while Hollywood movies focus more on cinematic knowledge.
But things are changing very fast these days. There may come a time when there is no difference between Bollywood and Hollywood. Particularly after the success of ‘Slum-dog Millionaire’, can we look forward to more movies where Bollywood meets Hollywood? In the coming times, you will see Barbara Mori paired with Hrithik Roshan in an Indian film ‘Kites’, and in the same way, an Indian actor Anupam Kher will act in the film of the best director of Hollywood, Woody Allen. After winning Oscars for an Indian film Slum-dog Millionaire, the gap between Bollywood and Hollywood has narrowed and is becoming a joint venture. We may one day see Sylvester Stallone dancing around the trees in an Indian movie and Hrithik Roshan playing James Bond in a Hollywood movie.