How can I become a cinema projectionist?

Is Bollywood over shadowing Indian Cinema?

• 100 years of Indian Cinema has totally become a festival of Bollywood rather than Indian Cinema! I mean the mere fact that many people who have contributed their lives more than their families and pleasures for Indian Cinema have been forgotten whenever thought and actresses who have merely acquired fame by Skin Show and Item songs are being treated as the representatives of Indian Cinema! Do we need a better platform inside India itself to present contributions from every sector of Indian Cinema? Given the fact that Indian National Language is Hindi and hence the Audience base of Bollywood Cinema is much higher than any other XYZ-wood; Do we need to re think the parameters of appreciation? Filmfare is fair with all the awards and etc. and of course there are many awards appreciating the work done by every one, but the spot light always belongs to those who have made the least contributions but with huge mass following! Can this ever be changed?

• Answer:

  The answer also depends on what kind of an audience are you a part of. If you mean overshadowing with regard to commercial aspect, then we all know the answer. But with respect to a global image as well, yes, it IS overshadowing the Indian Cinema. Here's why: Bollywood is to Indian Cinema what China is to the World Economy. Its production is the largest in the world in quantitative terms. Also, the investment in Hindi Cinema from abroad is in crazy amounts. So the bombardment of film and film products (merchandise, music, film promotions and marketing) is unprecedented (giving rise to cultural imperialism, as some would argue). It is not an art anymore, it is a full fledged business. This is a brief story from the production side, to which many more points could be added. From the audience's side, a lot of people watch movies these days so that they can discuss it with their peers. Films, for them, is more than just entertainment. People allow the choice of their films to shape their 'image'. They will watch a film even if they it isn't exactly tasteful rather than try out a director's venture. There are plenty of other reasons too, many of which you already must have heard. Will write about it more, soon. Sadly, 'culture' as a tradition has been destroyed in India and we only look at actors, rather than the directors and other people that go into making of a film (just an example of lack of appreciation for 'meaningful' cinema). Hope it changes soon.