Bollywood and beyond - How it all started

 Introducing Bollywood – what is behind this word?

´

I can tell you, there´s a lot of things behind. First of all, the name
Bollywood is known all around the world.But when the actors and
actresses of this industry have been asked about it, most of them
told the journos they don´t like this name.

The Reason for it? Well it´s easy to encapsulate it. India´s acting
community dislikes being compared with the American Film
Industry in California called Hollywood which has got its own style
and nothing in common with India´s Idea of it.

Music and dance in a film??  - Inconceivable in the USA.

In contrast to this, the songs in a Hindi Movie are a big component
of it as they mostly shall express feelings or moods of the actors.
This is what fascinated me personally from the first second.

I made the experience when asking anyone about Bollywood the
first names mentioned are…?? Yes of course Shah Rukh, Aamir
and Salman Khan as they made the Indian movies popular like
never before. With every new (dubbed) movie of Shah Rukh,
Salman or Aamir, the number of non-indian Bollywood-Fans
rised continuesly.

Who of them has the biggest claims to the throne of Bollywood
shall remain undecided at this moment ( I know most of you will
say its SRK, but don´t forget there are also many AK and SK Fans
out there!). Sure is only one thing:  those 3 men introduced
Bollywood to the western world. Anyways, enough of a school lesson
for today.

Instead, let me tell you how I came to know about it.

It was one rainy day in June 2002 and I was a 15 year-old spring
chicken, didn´t know what to do. After I called some friends and
none of them had time to meet up, I decided on turning on the TV.
Whilst I was switching between the channels out of boredom, I
suddenly stopped at one channel where there was one scene which
caught my full attention. I gotta see a man singing first time in my life.

What he sang?? ….Janam dekh lo, mit gayi dooriyan….and I was like
OMG what´s that? Well, let me admit I immediately liked his style
and when I checked the TV program I came to know it was an Indian
movie so I watched it till the end.

YES I TOTALLY FELL FOR SHAH RUKH AFTER VEER-ZAARA…
I have to confess it.

Since this day, Bollywood belonged to my daily routine call it
obsession or call it just a hobby, I will never give it up and I
am proud to say that I love THE WHOLE WORLD OF
BOLLYWOOD ( yes, infact also with some exceptions :P).

Since my Laptop running hot writing about my fav topic, I will
end with it right here.

Have a great evening all,

Shahri xxx