By Bharat J. Gajjar
English is one of the main languages of India. Why can'tBollywood, the Indian movie industry, make sitcoms and movies in English? I?m not talking about dubbing or subtitling. Movies with subtitles are not enjoyable and Westerners don'twant to be bothered with it. Reading subtitles means effort, when the public wants merely to be entertained. Indian actors speaking English with an Indian accent sound charming. Bollywood has a paradigm that they can only make movies in Hindi. Indian scientists are earning millions of dollars because they run computers in English. Why can'tIndia make billions of dollars by making sitcoms and movies in English? They need to come out of their own paradigm and look into this great opportunity available to them.
Hindi movies are now being watched all around the world, but attract a limited audience. If these movies are presented in English, the audience base would naturally get expanded. The industry will have a greater audience and witness a new financial growth.
Once Bollywood sitcoms are in English, they can be telecast on Indian television like Zee TV which is shown around the world. It can be announced in advance that sitcoms will be telecast on such and such time and Indians as well as Americans will then watch them. During the time of shooting Hindi films, the same actors could speak in both Hindi and English while doing their roles. Then over time, films can be shot in English.
Bollywood came up with the film Bombay Dream which was a musical in English and when shown at Broadway, it proved a hit. Now they have to jump to the next level and make Indian movies in English using Indian actors while dance and songs can be in Hindi.
I?m hoping this article will make its way to Bollywood and to Hindi film producers and investors. Changing the market and expanding the viewing audience will make other cultures knowledgeable of who we are and of our Bharatiya culture.
