India is a land of many cultures and extremes. The world outside would be amazed to hear and see all the things about India. But why do Indian filmmakers refrain from capturing the beauty of their own nation? Are they afraid or do they lack the talent (I doubt that). Perhaps the common Indian doesn't want to see India when paying for a 250 rupee ticket. Bollywood to most Indians is about escapism and getting away from the monotonous daily routine. But one thing is for sure. The world would be truly fascinated since India is a country of many stories, most of which still need to be written, but are etched in our minds and filled in our surroundings. Indian cinema has reached the stage where the potential for reaching out to a wider audience is much stronger (I mean, beyond the NRI audience). Isn't that quite the market!?

Rakesh Roshan made KITES with hopes that it would garner International success and make the world know about bollywood and Indian cinema. So what did he do? He came up with some basic story (nothing Indian about it) and set the film is Vegas.  It was shot in a hollywood manner and the songs (for the international version) were also deleted. So, when a foreigner says "Hey lets go see an Indian movie", wouldn't they end up getting a bit disappointed? When one watches a foreign film (world cinema), they often expect something culturally or historically relevant to the nation. An Indian film, simply imitating a hollywood style doesn't make it have international appeal. This is something that Indian producers seem to have trapped in their minds. Short mini skirts, random English words and hip hop beats WILL NOT HELP! It's all about the CONTENT and STORY.

Chinese film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was culturally and traditionally relevant to CHINA, but it worked internationally, because it showcased a unique culture and had a wonderful story. This applies to all foreign films that work at an international level in terms of popularity (Chinese, Italian, German, even Iranian). That's perhaps why Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray is still such a known name outside of India when it comes to film-making (perhaps his films would be "boring" to Indians, but that's a different story).  He made great Indian films with Indian stories. Another example is Guru Dutt. "Pyaasa" is considered to be one of the greatest films ever (Not just in India...EVERYWHERE!)

Bollywood doesn't need to lose its style to attract the world.  Yes, the song sequences can still exist, aesthetically of course! It's a unique quality and a great one if used properly. Azeem- O- Shan Shahenshah from "Jodhaa Akbar" is a great example.  Great Indian films use dance and song sequences in a way in which the story doesn't come to a sudden halt. Also the poetry and lyrics heighten the mood and underline the emotions. Listen to the songs of films like "Rang De Basanti" and "Hazaaron Kwaihishein Aisi". This is a unique quality of the great Indian cinema that, I believe, has the ability to attract the world. Dance sequences and songs are simply a reflection of our culture and we shouldn't be ashamed. There is a MAJOR difference between bollywood style song/dance and western musicals...

India has a lot to share with the world and film-making, along with our unique style, is the greatest way to reach out. Bollywood doesn't need to mimic! This whole phenomenon about going abroad to shoot films is a sad obsession and unfortunately nothing new.  Once again, the producers may feel, "which Indian wants to see their own country on celluloid when they will be reminded of the traffic when stepping out of the theater? Besides, ultimately we are making films for our own people, right?" (this is quite sad because a nation shouldn't be ASHAMED of seeing their country on screen... They should have a certain amount of respect for their culture...This mentality only exists in India)... Also, the producers are afraid that if there aren't any "STARS", nobody will come to see the film. Yes, it's a star driven country, but why are they limiting their market?  Telling a unique Indian story could attract the world and that is a larger market! Yes, it would make sense to satisfy our fellow Indians before going international, but recently it has become quite obvious that the Indian audience is opening up to various ideas. They are maturing and slowly accepting different films. But for them to continue accepting, filmmakers must make! Think about the various Indian cultures (there isn't just one!) and the different landscapes. India is a country of mountains, the jungles, the desert, palaces, forts, villages and modern cities. Oh, and the great history! Big banners and production companies should encourage this and promote, publicize and market accordingly. If Danny Bolye (Slumdog millionaire) and Attenborough(Gandhi) can come to India to make an Indian story that gets international recognition, even bollywood filmmakers can... But most of them don't and run abroad to shoot films when India IS a beautiful country and a Bollywood film should exploit the beauty of its own nation.  Currently I feel that there is a change taking place thanks to a few (Anurag Kashyap, Vishal Bhardwaj, Ashutosh Gawarikar, Dibaker Banerjee, ) but this still needs to be highly encouraged.

Recently films like “Gangs of wasseypur” and “Kahaani” have made a mark on a global platform!

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