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BOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTERS POPULAR AMONG STUDENTS
By NADIAH JOHARI
The Statesman
http://www.usustatesman.com/bollywood-blockbusters-popular-among-students-1.2697067
Feb 8 2012
Utah
The recently aired movie "A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song"
featured Bollywood elements that incorporated Indian dance, music,
costumes and colors. For Yeva Muradyan, the film was part of a
Bollywood trend spreading across campus.
"It has opened new ways for me to view the world and find out ~E
other cultures can be interesting," said Muradyan, a junior majoring
in public relations.
Muradyan, a native of Armenia, said she started watching Bollywood
movies with her mother when she was a child. She said Armenians
are familiar with the Indian culture because Bollywood movies are
common there.
She said she is interested in Indian culture and Hinduism, and watching
Bollywood movies is a way for her to feel the culture.
"It's very unique, it's very old, it's something that is different,
and I find it pretty amazing ... the way they dance, the way they sing,
and the way they dress," she said. "I can't adapt to their culture
because it's very different from mine, but I love to watch it. I'm
fascinated with it."
Ashwin Kumar, a graduate student studying electrical engineering,
said Bollywood is a large industry in India, and almost all Bollywood
movies are love-oriented.
"Bollywood for Indians is more like an escape," Kumar said. "It has
a lot of dance and colors. They put in a lot of hard work into stage
performances and the music that they play."
Pooja Kavathekar, a graduate student studying computer science, said
even though there are political differences between Inida and Pakistan,
everyone - Indian or Pakistani - comes together for Bollywood.
Bollywood creates a cultural union, Kumar said.
Kavathekar said the average budget for a Bollywood movie is $8 million
because of the jewelry, costumes, sound effects and travel. Kumar
said he thinks it's funny that the production crew loves to shoot
outside India.
"One thing about Bollywood, which Hollywood will probably never have,
is that there is no movie (that) can (have) a bad ending," he said.
Kumar said other differences between Hollywood and Bollywood include
musical and dancing elements. He said family values are emphasized
in Bollywood movies, too.
"I think this is one thing that Bollywood cherishes. No matter what,
basic family values, such as not going against mother and father,
having special respect for (parents) and treating women as they should
be, are given a lot of concentration, and generally movies never go
against those values," he said.
Kumar said in old Bollywood movies profanity and kissing scenes were
not allowed. However, he said today Bollywood accepts those elements
because of Western influence.
Kavathekar said movies containing elements of nudity are controversial
in India. She said movies are evaluated before they are released and
inappropriate scenes are often removed.
Carrie Miller, a USU graduate, said she sees Bollywood as a cinematic
tradition.
She said she was first introduced to Bollywood when she and her sister
were looking for a movie in high school. She came across the movie
"Bride and Prejudice," which featured some Bollywood actors and
actresses. Although the movie was entirely in English, there were
some Bollywood elements she said she liked.
Initially, Miller said she did not know whether she liked the movies,
but she said the more she watched the Indian films, the more she came
to enjoy them.
Miller said she likes that there's no swearing, sex or kissing scenes
in the Bollywood movies she has seen - they seem to promote values
that correspond with her own.
"I don't think I've ever seen a Bollywood movie that I would have
rated PG-13," she said.
Miller said she has greater appreciation for other cultures as a
result of being exposed to Bollywood.
"I grew up in a small Utah town - predominantly white, predominantly
Christian," she said. "If it weren't for Bollywood and my interest in
other cultures, I wouldn't really have a lot of access to other ideas."
To sum up Bollywood in one idea it would be "controlled chaos in
wonderland," Kumar said.
By NADIAH JOHARI
The Statesman
http://www.usustatesman.com/bollywood-blockbusters-popular-among-students-1.2697067
Feb 8 2012
Utah
The recently aired movie "A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song"
featured Bollywood elements that incorporated Indian dance, music,
costumes and colors. For Yeva Muradyan, the film was part of a
Bollywood trend spreading across campus.
"It has opened new ways for me to view the world and find out ~E
other cultures can be interesting," said Muradyan, a junior majoring
in public relations.
Muradyan, a native of Armenia, said she started watching Bollywood
movies with her mother when she was a child. She said Armenians
are familiar with the Indian culture because Bollywood movies are
common there.
She said she is interested in Indian culture and Hinduism, and watching
Bollywood movies is a way for her to feel the culture.
"It's very unique, it's very old, it's something that is different,
and I find it pretty amazing ... the way they dance, the way they sing,
and the way they dress," she said. "I can't adapt to their culture
because it's very different from mine, but I love to watch it. I'm
fascinated with it."
Ashwin Kumar, a graduate student studying electrical engineering,
said Bollywood is a large industry in India, and almost all Bollywood
movies are love-oriented.
"Bollywood for Indians is more like an escape," Kumar said. "It has
a lot of dance and colors. They put in a lot of hard work into stage
performances and the music that they play."
Pooja Kavathekar, a graduate student studying computer science, said
even though there are political differences between Inida and Pakistan,
everyone - Indian or Pakistani - comes together for Bollywood.
Bollywood creates a cultural union, Kumar said.
Kavathekar said the average budget for a Bollywood movie is $8 million
because of the jewelry, costumes, sound effects and travel. Kumar
said he thinks it's funny that the production crew loves to shoot
outside India.
"One thing about Bollywood, which Hollywood will probably never have,
is that there is no movie (that) can (have) a bad ending," he said.
Kumar said other differences between Hollywood and Bollywood include
musical and dancing elements. He said family values are emphasized
in Bollywood movies, too.
"I think this is one thing that Bollywood cherishes. No matter what,
basic family values, such as not going against mother and father,
having special respect for (parents) and treating women as they should
be, are given a lot of concentration, and generally movies never go
against those values," he said.
Kumar said in old Bollywood movies profanity and kissing scenes were
not allowed. However, he said today Bollywood accepts those elements
because of Western influence.
Kavathekar said movies containing elements of nudity are controversial
in India. She said movies are evaluated before they are released and
inappropriate scenes are often removed.
Carrie Miller, a USU graduate, said she sees Bollywood as a cinematic
tradition.
She said she was first introduced to Bollywood when she and her sister
were looking for a movie in high school. She came across the movie
"Bride and Prejudice," which featured some Bollywood actors and
actresses. Although the movie was entirely in English, there were
some Bollywood elements she said she liked.
Initially, Miller said she did not know whether she liked the movies,
but she said the more she watched the Indian films, the more she came
to enjoy them.
Miller said she likes that there's no swearing, sex or kissing scenes
in the Bollywood movies she has seen - they seem to promote values
that correspond with her own.
"I don't think I've ever seen a Bollywood movie that I would have
rated PG-13," she said.
Miller said she has greater appreciation for other cultures as a
result of being exposed to Bollywood.
"I grew up in a small Utah town - predominantly white, predominantly
Christian," she said. "If it weren't for Bollywood and my interest in
other cultures, I wouldn't really have a lot of access to other ideas."
To sum up Bollywood in one idea it would be "controlled chaos in
wonderland," Kumar said.