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Bollywood these days produces some pretty slick, state-of-the-art movies. There’s also been a move towards more conventional (Western-influenced) filmmaking with more of an emphasis on original plots, dialogue, etc. If you’ve ever seen any of Aamir Khan’s movies, you’ll know what I mean (Lagaan, Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par are good ones to start).

In the last five or seven years there have been a lot of movies about Indian expatriates living in various countries: the US, UK, and Australia for example. I’m not a big fan of Bollywood but we get their movies on cable twenty-four hours a day (I live in neighboring Pakistan).

This video was just a bit of fun, though. I seriously doubt anyone except maybe Hindu hardliners would find it offensive. In fact, there had to have been some Indian people involved in the production (choreography, hair and makeup, costumes, as well as just to give a general feel of an Indian movie).

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Bollywood and Chenai produce more media entertainment than major Western studios combined. The sheer volume of films produced each year is indicative that not all films are going to be epic summer blockbusters. Indeed, in the Indian entertainment business, quantity trumps quality tenfold. And unlike Western film makers, Bollywood and her sister studios aren’t terribly concerned about communicating a message to the masses. The point of the entertainment industry is to entertain, not comment on social inequities or wax philosophical. (India is a beautiful, but harsh land. The more in-depth Indian films often fail to make numbers at the box office, perhaps in part because no one wants to be reminded of everyday life when they head to the theater and hand over hard earned rupee for a couple hours worth of escapism.)

As a result, the genre is delightfully campy – the actors are beautiful and over-the-top, the film quality is notoriously low, the subtitles (if they have any) are flowery and verbose, and the plotlines are very, very “recycled”. (Like any genre, however, there are some films that are more sophistcated than others, and at the turn of the century, film producers have started to put more time, money, energy and love into their films – Johda Ackbar, for example, was absoultely stunning and could hold its own out here in the States. My boyfriend and I sat through all 3 and a half hours of it, dispite the lack of subtitles. )

The only thing Indians may find “insulting” in this particular music video is the portrayal of the Gods. I think I’ve read somewhere that it is sacrilegious to portray the deities in human form (ie with actors). But with an ever-changing culture fueled by Western influence, I’m not sure how serious an offense this is, if it is at all, or if it is akin to “light blasphemy”. (Some people might be pissed that Kali is shown cavorting with a human and is missing four of her six arms – I know I was.)

They may also be a little put off that there’s no tree/waterfall scene in this music video. I’ve seen a lot of Indian music videos (both retro and current) and they all manage to ingeniously incorporate a variation of “lovebirds playing in a waterfall” or “lovebirds sitting in a tree”. Or a field! Lovebirds running and dancing in an open field. (Gangsta rap has bling-bling and booty-shakin’; Hair bands have head-banging and 30 minute long guitar solos; Emo has mournful stares and cliched love letters; Indian music has dancing and nature. It’s science, people!)

Gah. Sorry for the rant. India is very near and dear to me, and I could go on about Her for hours, but I’ll stop here for now.

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Now while I think Gael Garcia Bernal is the business and one of the best actors around – who’s to say that Dev there isn’t a nicer boyfriend?

*pssst* I have a confession to make. I saw the Love Guru at the weekend. I didn’t hate it But – before I must immolate myself over the infidelity to my better judgement – if it’s any consolation, I didn’t see it in a sanctioned cinema *ahem*

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Mike Myers has ruined a lot lately.

Sadly, Devendra Banhart actually looks slightly better here than he usually does.

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