Growing up, there were certain constants in my household: chai, the aroma of my mom’s cooking and the magic of a Bollywood film.
While some American audiences might think that Bollywood’s magic comes from its vibrant choreography and dramatic plots, it actually comes from Bollywood’s ability to depict relationships.
India, unlike the U.S., is a collectivist culture, where the needs of a group come before the needs of an individual and members of the group are interconnected, according to a Feb. 23 article by the mental health research website VeryWellMind.
Bollywood movies depict this idea of a strong community thus are able to pull on a viewer’s emotions.
Life isn’t about putting your needs before others, which is more encouraged in an individualistic society, rather it’s about cultivating the relationships around you.
In Ayan Mukerji’s 2013 film “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani,” emphasis is placed on maintaining friendships.
The film follows a group of four friends. One of the members, Bunny, played by Ranbir Kapoor, wants to be a journalist and travel the world. While another member Naina, played by Deepika Padukone, is perfectly content living with her parents in India.
While Bunny seems thrilled traveling the world at first, his demeanor changes as he copes with the immense loneliness being away from home..
The movie culminates at a wedding where everyone is reunited for the first time in eight years. Slowly, Bunny and the viewers realize the value in surrounding yourself with a community of supporters.
It’s an emotional ending because of the love it depicts between friends, partners and family.
I don’t think a Hollywood movie has ever made me cry the same way a Bollywood film has.
Hollywood is simply too cold in their storylines, it’s all about the hero’s journey and their struggles alone.
Even in a classic movie like 1990’s “Home Alone,” all I could think about was “doesn’t the family have any friends in the city that could check on Kevin?”
If it was an Indian film, Kevin would soon be surrounded by a giant community of friends.
That’s just the way South Asian families operate. My weekends are spent showing up unannounced to family friends’ houses. When I go to India, there is a revolving door of neighbors and family there to support you.
I understand sometimes family can be toxic and it may be best to move away from them. But in Desi culture, even when you feel the need to leave your family, you have a group of friends who become your family to ensure that you never feel alone.
American culture has that too, but not to the same extent as Indian culture and that is shown in Bollywood.
In 2009’s “3 Idiots,” the movie follows a group of three friends who become each other’s family at the harrowing Indian Institute of Technology. Amidst the pressure, they hold on to each other.
When one of the friends goes missing after they graduate, the others are willing to do just about anything, including grounding a plane by faking a medical emergency, to find him.
One of them leaves their wedding to meet their long-lost bestie. Hollywood could never.
There is a strong pull and desire to hold on to people for dear life in Indian culture.
Bollywood doesn’t come without its issues. Historically, there have been only light-skinned actors featured in films and nepotism dominates the industry.
Famous Indian actors such as Ranbir Kapoor, who recently starred in the blockbuster “Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva,” come from families who are deeply ingrained in the film industry as directors and actors.
There is also a strong sense of nationalism in many films, which is related to the rise of current Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his anti-Muslim rhetoric according to a June 10, 2021 Atlantic article.
Modi also has had a direct influence on the censoring of Bollywood films that depict interfaith relationships between Hindus and Muslims according to the same article.
In 2019, Modi’s government passed the Citizenship Amendment Act which provided a path to citizenship for any non-Muslim migrants coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan according to a June 10, 2022 Al Jazeera article.
Despite the current government’s influence, Bollywood hasn’t stopped creating films that challenge this ideal and has been exceptional at weaving in social issues.
One example of this is the 2021 film “Sardar Udham” about the freedom fighter Udham Singh, played by Vicky Kaushal, who fought for India’s independence when they were still ruled by the British.
Singh famously gave his name as Ram Singh Mohammad Azad, representing the three dominant religions of India: Hinduism, Sikhism and Islam according to Farina Mir’s 2010 book “The Social Space of Language.”
Hollywood barely manages to combine social issues with an intriguing plot line the same way Bollywood does.
Audiences are drawn to Indian movies because they are not only a spectacle but also pull on emotions. They show how colorful life can be especially when you have a community.
When people think of Bollywood, they think of vibrant dance sequences and 3-hour long films but Bollywood has always made films that challenge audiences with their complex plot lines and phenomenal acting.
So make yourself a warm cup of chai and watch the emotional roller coaster of a Bollywood film because there is truly nothing like it.
