BOLLYWOOD STUDIOS IN MUMBAI
They call it the ‘world’s largest dream’ factory, a reference to the 1,000-odd films literally churned out by the Hindi film industry every year. And though films are shot both on location and on indoor sets, it’s a visit to Bollywood studios in Mumbai that brings home the true essence of the typical Hindi film and television serial.
R K Studio: There are many state-of-the-art Bollywood production houses in Mumbai, most of them family-run businesses. One of the oldest is R K Studio in suburban Chembur, opened by the legendary Raj Kapoor in 1951, it was here that the iconic filmmaker and actor shot some of his landmark films and gave the Hindi film industry some of its pioneering techniques.
The studio, still owned by the Kapoors – also known as the first family of Bollywood – is a must-see on any Bollywood studio tour.
BIG N D Studio: Another must-do Bollywood studio visit is a halt at BIG N D Studio, by far the largest studio property in Mumbai. Opened in 2005 by art director Nitin Desai, this studio is arguably home to the “longest studio floor space in Asia”.
BIG N D Studio is located on the outskirts of Mumbai and makes for an excellent half-day outing. The drive to Karjat, where the property is situated, is a soothing 90 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the metro, once you turn off the highway and leave the city.
Apart from its sheer size – 42 acres – what sets it apart from other Bollywood studios in Mumbai? Well, once dressed up by expert art and set designers, the property can masquerades as a wide range of locales, from India to Singapore, the Swiss Alps to the English countryside. Imagine the cost-savings for filmmakers!
BIG N D Studio is indeed an experience for the tourist keen to sample exactly how those dramatic sequences in a Hindi film are shot. Behold the Jodhaa Akbar set and be wowed. This once, like a few other ‘permanent’ sets here, was constructed for a movie by the same name and it recreates the grandeur of the Red Fort (Delhi), Agra Fort (Agra) and Amer Palace (Jaipur), all of them built to scale!
Enter ‘Bombay Street’ and you’re suddenly caught in a time warp. This is a typical street in the heart of Old Mumbai, where the houses are choc-a-bloc, tiny shops selling all sorts of goods and kitsch cram the streets, homely Irani-style cafes beckon, and a colonial-style traffic signal stops you dead in your tracks.
Like any premier Bollywood production house in Mumbai, BIG N D Studios offers the full range of post-production facilities, making it a one-stop shop for filmmakers. And with the property offering chalets to actors, the stars can live here during extended shoots rather than brave the daily commute from and back to Mumbai.
Some stars have found a way, albeit expensive, to beat the crowds. The studio has a helipad that is “frequently used” by the glitterati who need to jet set back to the city after the day is done.
Considering the size and range of facilities at BIG N D Studios, tourists get a panoramic view of how a typical Bollywood film is shot and processed under one roof. If you’re lucky, you might even catch some shooting action as well!
Filmcity: Shift venue to Filmcity in suburban Goregaon, Mumbai, and you’re transported to a very different world of film-making. Also called Filmstan, you’re in the middle of a green oasis – 1,287 hectares of forested land – also called Aarey Milk Colony after the government-owned dairy situated here.
Set up in 1949, Aarey is also a popular tourist spot and includes lakes, gardens, a nursery and an observation pavilion atop a small ‘hill’. The state government runs a school and a hospital on the property for the benefit of dairy workers. The government has also leased plots to various state and central government organisations and institutions in this no-development zone.
Balaji Telefilms: Among these leased plots are many film studios on the list of any Bollywood studio tour. So amid the mooing of cattle – there are 16,000 heads of cattle reared on 32 cattle farms at Aarey – step into the studios of Balaji Telefilms.
Affectionately dubbed Mumbai’s ‘largest soap factory’, Balaji Telefilms is a production house that churns out the largest number of TV serials, reality shows and, most importantly, TV soaps in the country.
Set up in 1994 by Jeetendra, Bollywood star of yesteryear, Balaji Telefilms is noted mainly for the creative talent of the actor’s daughter, Ekta Kapoor. The success of the production house lies in Kapoor’s uncanny ability to create serials that connect with the soul of various sections of the Great Indian Middle Class, whether mythological serials, cultural extravaganzas or sheer family and romantic dramas.
Yes, when you think of the quintessential melodramatic Indian TV soap, think Bajali Telefilms. Taking a Bollywood studio tour of one of the sets here is a precious experience. Sheer drama fills the air as the actors play their parts on sets of brocade, walls with loud colours and plush furniture meant to lend an aspirational touch.
Walk into another set and you’re in the living room of a feudal landlord, the mythological era of the Mahabharata or a 21st century love story of star-crossed lovers. When it comes to the Indian soap opera, Balaji Telefilms leads the way.
A household name for 16 years, Balaji Telefilms is known for its K-serials – yes, every serial began with the letter ‘K’, Though the management denies any numerological connection, the fact is that numerology and superstition play a significant role in Mumbai’s Tinsel Town – both film and television.
Whistling Woods: Also located at Aarey is Asia's largest film, television, animation and media arts institute or Whistling Woods International. Promoted by celebrated producer Subhash Ghai, also known as ‘The Showman’, Mukta Arts Ltd and Filmcity, Whistling Woods International is a premier film and television educational academy.
The institute, situated on a generous 20-acre campus, offers various courses for students looking to make a career in the highly technical and highly competitive world of film and television.
So if it’s a day of drama you’re looking for, a Bollywood studios visit is the perfect choice. We, at Bollywood Toursim, offer a guided tour and give you an exclusive peek into a fantasy world that 1.5 billion Indians and millions of fans overseas are crazy about. It’s easy. Just log in and sign up. Or call us for a day of excitement and fun!
And it is dance that is at the heart of The Merchants of Bollywood. Production number follows production number at a dizzying pace. This stage show is sheer spectacle from beginning to end. The parade of gorgeous costumes is a riot of eye-boggling colour.
The story, such as it is, was written by London-based Toby Gough, who is also the show’s director. The producers are the Australian Brady family, but the creative team is Bollywood all the way – choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant and composers Salim and Sulaiman Merchant. They are the real Merchants of Bollywood.
The show is inspired by the true story of the show’s choreographer. Her grandfather Shri Hiralal was a famous choreographer in the fifties and sixties. Vaibhavi wanted to follow her star to Bollywood but her grandfather felt that the industry was no longer for decent women. The conflict between the two generations is at the heart of the story.
The feisty heroine, called Ayesha in the show (Carol Furtado), is a dancer at a temple of Shiva in Rajasthan. Her grandfather Shantilal (Arif Zakaria) is in charge of temple rituals. The two fall out when Ayesha heads to Bollywood where she becomes a star choreographer.
As befits Bollywood melodrama, Shantilal is an alcoholic, driven to drink because of what he sees as the dumbing down of Bollywood movies. His classic films made social statements, such as healing the rift between Hindus and Muslims.
Satwinder Singh Jaspal plays multiple roles that include the Narrator, the flamboyant film director Tony Bakshi, and Bhansingh, a Rajasthani village elder. Then there is Uday (Dipender Singh), a temple dancer and Ayesha’s first love.
The talented Furtado can both act and dance up a storm. Zakaria gives a very poignant portrayal as a man who has lost his soul, while Jaspal manages to move with ease between the stately narrator and the buffoonish villager – the one hitch was in his film director character, which played too much into gay stereotypes.
Singh never opens his mouth. Instead, he just dances, and what a dancer he is. Not only is he the lead in the temple numbers, he is also showcased in the Bollywood dances, and he is simply sensational. He also has tremendous skill in gymnastics and the martial arts which permeates his dance numbers.
In fact, this company chorus line is awash in great dancers. How they manage to be on their feet at the end is astonishing given their high energy output.
One of the glories of Vaibhavi’s choreography is the different styles that exist within Bollywood dance. Embedded in the story is the history of Bollywood and the dances that cut across the decades. For example, a wedding scene is anchored in classical dance, while a contemporary piece borrows from hip-hop, not to mention several dance-till-you-drop disco numbers.
But there is a Bollywood commonality that links the dances together – the driving beat, the detailed hand gestures, the torso isolations, the swiveling hips and the complex footwork. The Merchants of Bollywood is a two-and-a-half hour spectacle of non-stop dance.
Bollywood dance is the dance-form used in the Indian films. It is a mixture of numerous styles. These styles include belly-dancing, kathak, Indian folk, Western popular, and "modern", jazz, and even Western erotic dancing. In this web page, we will look at Bollywood dance and place it within the commercial and artistic framework of the South Asian film world.
What Is Bollywood Dance?
Bollywood dance is a difficult topic to discuss because it is hard to pin down. Its exact definition, geographical distribution, and stylistic characteristics are amorphous. However in spite of all of this, it is surprisingly recognisable.
Let us begin by discussing the term "Bollywood". In the strict sense the term "Bollywood" refers to the Hindi culture, art, and film industry from Bombay. The other film centres of South Asia are often referred to by their own designations (e.g., Lollywood (Lahore), Tollywood (Andhra Pradesh)). However since the Bombay Hindi film industry dwarfs the other productions centres, the term "Bollywood" is generally extended to mean the entire South Asian film culture. For the purpose of this web-page, we will use the more general meaning.
The international appeal of Bollywood dancing is something that has been many decades in the making. Originally it was found only in places that had a significant consumption of Indian films (i.e., Former Soviet Union, and the Middle East). But a few years ago it started to become chic in Europe, and today it is rising in popularity in the US, and Canada. Today, dance schools that teach this style may be found in most major cities.
Bollywood dancing is the style of dance which developed in the Hindi film industry
Song and Dance In Indian Films
It is important to understand the relationship between theatre, music and dance in South Asia. Unlike the West, where the "musical" is considered to be just one of numerous genre, South Asians have a very difficult time conceiving of any theatrical or film endeavour that does not have music and dance. Films that are produced along the Western vein (sans music and dance) are consigned to the "art-film" category and generally meet with very limited commercial success. The only theatrical genre where song and dance are not expected, appears to be modern TV dramas. (i.e., "soap operas"). The unbroken tradition of linking theatre, music, and dance is traceable all the way back to the Natya Shastra (circa 2nd century BCE.)
Bollywood films must have song and dance, so it is reasonable to look into the styles of these dance forms. It turns out that this does not tell us much, because of the large number of dance styles that have been enfolded into it. Furthermore, Bollywood dancing has changed tremendously over the years.
Traditional Dance Elements
Films before 1960 tended to draw heavily on classical and folk dance. Since neither "classical dance" nor "folk dance" are homogenous entities, one naturally expects to find considerable variations. Not surprisingly, early films from south India tended to show a lot of influence from Bharat Natyam and Kuchipudi while Hindi/ Urdu films tended to show strong influences of Kathak or the "mujara" dances that were associated with the tawaifs. Although these influences continue today, they seem to have become mixed with many more dance styles and have at time become unrecognisable as to their origins.
Scene from Pakeezah
Choreographers
Choreography is not a field that gives a lot of fame. It is a demanding job, and one that is largely out of the public eye. But one must never forget that the actors and actresses do not just get in front of the camera and dance spontaneously. Someone has to create the number.
The Indian film industry has been graced with many great talents in the past. Some notables were, B. Sohanlal ("Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam", "Jewel Thief", Chaudhvin ka Chand"), Lachhu Maharaj ("Mahal", "Pakeezah", "Moghul-e-Azam"), Chiman Seth ("Mother India"), Krishna Kumar ("Awaara", "Madosh", "Andaaz") and a host of others.
Today there are a number of choreographers who continue this tradition. Some who come to mind are Shiamak Davar ("Taal", "Bunty aur Bubli", Dil to Paagal Hai"), Saroj Khan ("Baazigar", "Soldier", "Veer Zara"), Ahmed Khan ("Rangeela", Pardes, Mere Yaar ki Shadi Hai"), Raju Khan ("Lagaan", Krrish), Vaibhavi Merchant ("Dhoom", "Swadesh", "Rang de Basanti"), Remo ("Jo Bole So Nihal", "Pyar ke Side Effects", "Waqt"), or Farah Khan ("Kabhi Khush Kabhi Gham", "Monsoon Wedding", "Dil Chahta Hai").
Farah Khan, choreographer for "Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai", "Dil Se", "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai", "Dil Chahta Hai", "Asoka", and "Monsoon Wedding"
Costume
Clothing and costume are an extremely important element of the Bollywood dance. To a very great extent it will determine the "feel" that the dance will have in the film. With the right costume, one can do many things. If the film is a period piece, the proper costume goes a long way toward giving the feel of that period. If one is trying to make the dance scene dream-like or surrealistic, then obviously one goes for costumes that in no way relate to the clothing found in real life. If you are trying to give an erotic sizzle to an item number you can.... well you can figure that one out for yourself. Costumes can also be used to reflect the latest fashions, thus reinforcing the topicality of a dance number.
Proper costumes contribute to the overall "feel" of the dance
Over the decades many great artists have excelled in the field of costume design. In recent times Manish Malhotra (e.g., "Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna", "Veer Zaara", "Kal Ho Na Ho"), Neeta Lula (e.g. "Devdas", "Mission Kashmir"), or Bhanu Athaiya. ("Swades", "Lagaan", "1942: A Love Story", "Gandhi") have made great names for themselves. But these artists are only part of a long tradition which extends back for about a century.
Romantic Numbers and Duets
No Bollywood film would be complete without a song and dance between the hero and heroine. As a matter of fact, no Bollywood film would be complete without MANY songs and dances between the hero and heroine. As a general rule, these scenes are the romantic numbers, the playful numbers, and the longing / sad numbers. One may also find songs about holidays, (e.g., Holi), Mother India, the moon, or other topics; but these are far less common.
The romantic number has been the cornerstone of the Hindi film since the first talkies. But dance has generally not been a strong part of these numbers. Historically, the hero and heroine simply wandering around at night in a garden. If the camera made strategic moves off-screen to shots of birds and trees, this was quite enough to suggest activities that the censors might not approve of.
Scene from "Pyar Ke Side Effects"
Closely related to the romantic number is the playful number. It is sometimes hard to separate the romantic from the playful because in both cases, the hero and heroine are expressing their undying love for each other; however the playful numbers rely much more heavily upon dancing. In the early days, there was an awful lot of dancing around trees. (I really do not know what Freud has to say about trees). However today, such playful numbers tend to revolve around exotic foreign locales and inexplicable changes in clothing.
The dance styles of these playful numbers has varied considerably over the years. Originally they may have revolved around classical or folk dance, but today, Bollywood has developed its own corpus of material. In the early days, some of these moves were really rather hard to class as dancing. The spastic deliveries of songs by Shammi Kapoor came to mind. Still, from these random spastic jerks and jumping around, identifiable moves began to develop. Today the playful love song has matured into an identifiable set of moves, some of which may be shared by other dance traditions around the world, but others are unique to Bollywood.
Shammi Kapoor's ... er... "unique" style.
Sometimes elaborate "Busby Berkeley" style dance numbers are used for the playful numbers. These numbers revolve around a number of dancers, usually female, dancing with military precision.
Eroticism and Bollywood Dance
The commercial power of sex was recognised by Indian film distributors very early on. As early as 1932, the erotic elements in "Zarina" were creating a public outcry, calls for greater censorship, but more significantly, lots of money for the cinema houses.
The obvious question was of course how to handle erotic content. It was clear that an element of eroticism was required for commercial success; however the puritanical nature of Indian society would not tolerate the heroine behaving in any immodest way. Three formulas developed in order to fulfil this requirement, these were the rape scene, attempted seduction, and the item number.
The rape scene has fallen out of fashion, but from the late 1950s through the 1970's it was an essential element for any massala film. In this approach, an ingenue or some other secondary female character, was raped. This fulfilled two requirements: it provided the necessary sexual titillation in order to assure distribution, and at the same time it was a convenient dramatic device to establish the villain's character. Although this topic is certain worth further discussion, it is beyond the scope of a page on Bollywood dancing.
In the 1960s a different approach to providing the necessary erotic titillation was sometimes used; this was the attempted seduction scene. In this scene, the vamp, would attempt to seduce the hero by way of her song and dance. Naturally, the hero would not succumb to the charms of this vamp, thus allowing him to marry the heroine five reels later. This approach was especially convenient for producers during this period, because they could introduce as much eroticism as the censors would possibly allow, yet the hero's rejection of the seductress would always be considered a testament to the powers of traditional Indian values.
Dances were often employed in the attempted seduction scene. The style would of course vary according to the prevailing artistic norms, but they were always very suggestive.
Undoubtedly the artistic high point in the delivery of eroticism in Bollywood films was the development of the "item number". The item number works like this. You bring in a secondary girl (known as the "item girl") who is able to act, sing and dance in an erotic manner, often for only one piece. This introduces the erotic element, yet maintains the heroine's modesty.
It is interesting to note the way story lines, item numbers, and dance, have been handled over the years. In the early days, the hero just happened to go to a mehefil (gathering) where a tawaif (dancer-cum-prostitute) was performing. This obviously had nothing to do with story development, but it was a convenient way to graft the item number into the film.
In this early period, the item number would generally revolve around a kathak style of dance. However true to Bollywood form, this kathak piece would not necessarily be a good kathak, but was the substantially more suggestive mujara variety.
This method of introducing the item number proved to be a very practical and popular approach; in the 1960's this evolved into the cabaret number. Dramatically, this required nothing more than having the hero go to a cabaret instead of going to a mehefil. Since Indian society was becoming a little bit more relaxed, it was not unusual to find the hero and heroine going to a cabaret together.
The cabaret scene is probably the most significant artistic and commercial example of the Bollywood dance. It may be considered to be the first truly 'Bollywood" form. Where previous item numbers might have utilised traditional mujara dances, the cabaret dance was unique to the cinema. Although it is truly Indian, it does draw upon pre-existing elements, many of which were drawn from Western "modern" dance forms of the 1960's.
Undoubtedly the reining queen of the cabaret dance was Helen. She was born Helen Jairag Richardson, of mixed Anglo-Indian-Burmese descent. She started dancing and acting in the 1950s, and by the 1960s was the undisputed queen of the item girls. However by the 1970s, item numbers were going to the younger girls. By the 1980's the downplaying of the item girl from the standard formula, along with Helen's age, put her career on the rocks. Today her career has begun to turn around as she is making the transition from "item" roles to elderly "mother / mother-in-law" roles.
The queen of the cabaret - Helen
Although Helen is the most famous item actress, she was part of a tradition that extended before and survived afterwards. Bindu, Shashikala, Silki Smita, Aruna Irani, Jaymalini, Jyothilaxmi, have all made a name for themselves to some extent by doing item numbers. Today, the mantle is being taken up today by artists such as Kareena, Malaika or Sameera.
The relationship between the "item number" and the story line is interesting; it is simply grafted onto the film. It has no connection to the story line. Virtually any item number could be interchanged with any other item number, in any film, and it really would not make any difference.
It is interesting to note how item numbers have evolved. The more relaxed attitude toward eroticism in modern films means that one does not have to rely upon a secondary item girl in order to maintain the heroin's modesty. Modern audiences seem comfortable with the heroine dancing very suggestively, where previous generations would have considered this to be scandalous. Therefore, item numbers are starting to be used for other purposes. One function is to bring in cameo appearances of big name artists. But when the item number is used to provide erotic titillation, it is usually at a very high level of eroticism. Even modern film audiences might be uncomfortable with their heroines exhibiting a level of abandon which is sometimes found in today's item numbers.
The business reasons behind these modern hyper-erotic item numbers seems to be complex. In some ways, they are aimed at young male Indian audiences. However, it is very clear that the demands of the Middle Eastern market play very heavily into these decisions.
Item number from Sholay
The dance style of these modern hyper-erotic item numbers is very different from the item numbers of the past. Today the overriding influence is the Western erotic dancer. Traditional dance moves seem to be passé in these cases.
Conclusion
Bollywood dance may be seen as being on the ascendency in the world markets. Much of this is due to the ever expanding Indian diaspora, but a significant proportion comes from non-Indians who for whatever reason, are taken by the exotic, larger than life qualities inherent in it.
