The commemoration of the Indian film industry’s centenary on Friday was an affirmation of how far movies have come in capturing the imagination of a nation. Often derided as some of the loudest films on the planet, the industry is, however, meatier than even the worldwide reach of Bollywood’s dream machine, if only because regional movies and independent filmmakers have often outshone their commercial colleagues with their creative brilliance.
There is a lot to be said for the Hindi film industry that has survived 100 years and is still growing. Historians believe the medium has had a greater impact on Indian society than books, art, religion and, perhaps cricket too. Beyond formulaic stars-in-love running around trees that metamorphosed into today’s rich Indian films shot in the world’s most exotic locations, there has also been very good cinema in many different languages.
Infinite variety has long been a staple of Indian life, which naturally reflects in its cinema. Of course, we have come a long way from the ’50s and ’60s, thought to represent the golden age of Indian cinema, into the new millennium when there is said to be no definitive trend or genre that draws the most audiences with traditional love story themes sharing space with thrillers, action-adventures and comedy. The technical brilliance of Indian cinema is what makes it a global phenomenon today, a fact the pioneering Dadaseheb Phalke can be most proud of as he surveys, from Elysian Fields, the scene 100 years after his Raja Harischandra.