The Indians Abroad

Amitabh “Big B” Bachchan : Bollywood needs to adapt beyond song and dance.

It is hard to imagine a Bollywood movie without songs and dance numbers. The songs and music has often played a key role in the success or failure of a movie. A Hindi flick without songs and dance is like an Indian curry without masala, the spices.

Many have been saying this for a while, more quietly than in a vocal way, that it is about time for Bollywood to evolve beyond the song and dance routines. The most criticism, so far, has come from outsiders -those outside the Bollywood film Industry of India. Now, a reality check comes from a Bollywood Mega star; a bombshell from Amitabh Bachchan.

Amitabh “Big B” Bachchan in an interview with CNN said that it is about time for Bollywood to adapt to the global film market. He pointed out that Indian cinema needs to move beyond traditional song-and-dance musicals amid increasing international competition in the Mumbai studios’ domestic market.

He said that Indian audiences exposed to Western television and cinema expected Indian movies to be “at least on a par with what is happening in other parts of the world.”

“Technology means the common man has access to the very best in entertainment from other parts of the world almost instantly,” said the mega star.

“We do want to make different kinds of films and I think recent not-so-successful releases have indicated that audiences in India are now wanting to move away from the traditional format of escapist commercial cinema and see cinema with a greater amount of meaning,” Amitabh Bachchan said.

He downplayed a question on his possible roles in Hollywood movies, but added, “If there was an offer that was of interest then I would most certainly look at it.”

It is hard to imagine Bollywood movies without dance numbers. Dancing skill are almost pre-requisite these days to be succeed in Bollywood; plus, where would you hire a Bollywood dance star, if they give up on the sing-and-dance routines.

Source of the information: CNN interview titled Bachchan: Bollywood needs to adapt