Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Bollywood Balle Balle

Imagine this. Early Morning, am tuned in to NPR while trying to concentrate on the road instead of dozing off and what hits me but the song "Saawariya....blah, blah, blah". I was not particulalry fond of the movie or the song but it being on NPR at 7:15 in the morning, robbed sleep off my eyes

NPR discusses Hollywood forays into Mumbai, and says,

"And though Hollywood likes to think of itself as the world's biggest movie town, those billion-plus movie-mad Indians are served by a home-grown movie industry — the entertainment machine some refer to as Bollywood — that annually puts out more than twice as many movies as its U.S. competition. Hollywood, no surprise, is hungry for a piece of that market."

To make a place in the Indian market for themselves Hollywood is now trying to produce Hindi Movies. Ok they first tried to woo Indian audience by dubbing SpiderMan 3 in Bhojpuri but the Makad Manav didn't really charm the Indian audience it seems, so they thought ok let us just produce the next WXYZ by Karan Johar. Karan Johar was not in town or whatever and they got hold of Sanjay Bhansali.

"That's why Sony became the first major Hollywood studio to produce a Hindi-language film."

The film was "Sawariya" which failed miserably but,

"Sony executives say they plan on making more movies in Mumbai. There's even a sense that one of these days, movies from India may become as much of a force in the world as Hollywood pictures. " Amen to that

And now Disney is making an animation feature Roadside Romeo for the Indian Market.

And why is this on my food blog, because,

""Culturally, India is much more connected with our own movies and our own stars, much like our food," says Uday Singh, managing director of Sony Pictures in India

NPR Story here

64 comments:

  1. LOL, admit it, you are a movie freak, and you were so happy to hear the word food in there, another excuse to talk about Bollywood... :) I am on to you girl...

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  2. Sandeepa, sure NPR knows how to hook us desis :)
    Off to visit near the equator, have a great Holiday and will catch up in the New Year!

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  3. I agree.
    The best combination there is: Bollywood movies and good food!

    There is even a Bollywood Cookbook:
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/reader/1856266907/ref=sib_dp_pt/203-5236100-3343120#reader-page

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  4. Actually, India is the only country other than the USA, where the domestic film industry has 95% market share. So, not surprised, especially given the large number of South Asians in the USA today.

    Did you notice Blogger now supports OpenID? :-)

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  5. I don't mean to be cynical, but please, Hollywood should stop hamming it up.. just an aside which increasingly irks me - notice how there are now many more white chicks dancing in Bollywod item numbers these days, but do we see the same number of Desi faces in Hollywood productions? How do they explain that? I just don't find it fair.

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  6. white chicks dance in B'wood cause thats what gets the rikshawallas forking over their hard earned money.

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  7. I caught the word food but what is your special for the festive season?? Quick - post it !

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  8. sawaria didn't last more than 15 minutes in my house.poor sony!!

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  9. Hi Sandeepa, have you tried BWcinema.com to see recent movies without going to theaters ? It is streaming. I have not used it myself but thinking of.

    Where are you these days ? Anything special for Christmas ? I am thinking of making the fruitcake.

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  10. Movies ... music ... food ... sweet! :)

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  11. Sandeepa, Christmaser jonne shubheccha janacchi. I am to Kolkata soon so will be back soon with a full stomach and a content heart.

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  12. Sandeepa, wish you and your family a Very Happy and Successful New Year!

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  13. Hi Sandeepa, where be you? Will you please send me the link and resized pic of your entry for Grindless Gravies, am doing the round-up. You can find my e-mail ID in the post announcing it. Happy Holidays!

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  14. Happy Holidays, Sandeepa!

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  15. Happy Holidays Sandeepa! Tomai e-mail pathiechi dec 27ther jonno... check kore reply koro plz. we leave today evening!
    hugs
    Mandira

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  16. Sandeepa tumi kothaye geley ?

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  17. Dear Sandeepa, wish you a very happy new year to you and your family.

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  18. Heyyy....how 've u been..? are you on a blogging break..? Hope all is well with you and your family...

    Wishing you a fabulous year ahead...my hugs to Li'l S :)

    Shn

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  19. Hi Sandeepa,

    Just popping by to wish you and your lovely family a wonderful Happy New Year! :)

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  20. sandeepa..wanted to say hi and wish you and ur family a very happy new year...

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  21. Happy New Year! Sandeepa. Did you have a good holiday?

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  22. Happy New Year to you and your family Sandeepa. Hope you feel better soon.

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  23. Happy New Year Sandeepa... WHERE ARE YOU? :) Miss you... Hope everything is well!

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  24. Hey Sandeepa where are u, no updates. Hope everything is fine.

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  25. happy new year !Sawariya oh lol never lasted

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  26. Hi Sandeepa,

    I discovered your blog by sheer chnace today and had a wonderful time going thru it. Best of luck. BTW what is NPR?

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  27. Hi Sandeepa

    Happy new Year! Looks like you are still holidaying.

    We also went off on our customery 2 wk break to Kolkata and then had a 8-9 day trip to Thailand.

    Now feeling miserable after being back from the warmer parts of the globe.

    Have fun

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  28. Hi Sandeepa, Wish you, little S and the rest of your family a very happy new year.

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  29. Sandeepa, hey, you're nowhere to be seen...hope you and the family are fine and have had a wonderful start to the new year.

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  30. I heard a segment on NPR last night about Carnatic music festival season in Chennai - what a shock! and remembered your post too...
    btw, you've been MIA from DMC for a while. everything okay?

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  31. Where are you? I want more mouthwatering recipes, more funny stories, more lovely pictures - come back!!!! We're all missing you.

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  32. Hope you and family are doing ok...
    eto din kichu ranna banna korcho na je!! emni korle chole?
    ;-))

    recipe chai.....

    cheers,
    DR

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  33. Hi Sandeepa, Tumi kothai ? Hope all of you are doing well. I just returned from India.

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  34. Sandeepa, where are you? Hope all's well at home and work - miss your posts.

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  35. Sandeepa, Missing your posts. Come back soon. Hope you are doing fine.

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  36. sandeepa, its been ages since we saw you around....hope all's well.....hope the new year has been coming along well for you. we are in New Jersey here visiting family and friends for a little while.....was wondering if you stay anywhere close to woodbridge/iselin....perhaps i can say a hi to you in person while we are around :).....do drop me a line if you have time .....you can mail me at swativarma28@yahoo.co.in

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  37. aaah the fickleness of blog friendships

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  38. Sandeepa,
    Kothaye acho tumi,onek din kono kabar nai ..Ki holo ,badite sob bhalo to ....
    aamake somaye hole mail korbe .
    aamar blog name at gmail ..
    hugs and smiles
    jaya

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  39. Hi Sandeepa, Hope everything is fine, dear. Missing your posts. Hope to see you back soon.

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  40. Hi Sandeepa, where have you vanished? Aami India gelam aar elam, tomar kono notun post nei. Hope all is well and you are enjoying MIL's cooking. A happy new year to you and the family!

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  41. Hey Sandeepa, hope all's well with you.... haven't seen you around for a while now. You take care and we'll miss your posts till you return here....

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  42. Balle..balle..well said...totally agree with you.
    i guess u r taking a break now..hope to see u soon..

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  43. hi sandeepa!!i have been glued to your blog since the last 7 days and i still havent got enough of it....such beautiful write up and the delicious bangla food!!you seem to be a very down to earth person and reading about your daughter makes me smile :)).

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    ReplyDelete
  45. Hope everything is fine around you!Miss ya!!

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  46. Hey whats up Sandeepa? Hope all's fine on your end.

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    I was wondering whether you might be interested in a link exchange or posting a monthly summary of father related issues from our blog.

    Please reply to scott@diyfather.com

    Thanks Scott

    ReplyDelete
  48. Bhalo acho? Onek din hoye galo leho ni?

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  49. san, long time no see! hope everything is fine...

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  50. Hello Sandeepa, Ami Bangla Jani na but here goes! Tumi kamon aacho dear -- kothae tumi!? See, I am missing your smiling face. Hope all's well :)

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    ReplyDelete
  54. hi Sandeepa

    to begin with, kudos to your blog and your writing skills, I have been reading your blog from past one year but never posted any comments, but surely enjoyed thoroughly every post written with such intricacy, beautiful of language, and such imagery!

    I might sound a bit territorial if I say I too am a Bengali, away from home and country, so special reasons of getting nostalgic reading your blog.

    Anyways, needless to say I love every post of yours, I also like the way you raise some of the issues like Hollywood making Hindi movies etc, and in that reference I want to bring to your attention the story of SALIM BABA, which has been nominated for Oscars, please read the full story from linkhttp://www.filmstew.com/showArticle.aspx?ContentID=16868

    Its amazing how these Goras get away with this kind of exploitation could not resist sending it to u to see what u think....

    I forgot, my name is Mamon, writing to u from Dubai

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  55. Hi Sandeepa, I have got something for you, maybe you have already received it. Please do accept it as a token of appreciation for your kind and inspiring words. Thanks, Pragyan

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  56. Hey Sandeepa,

    Where are u gurl?.. just vanished! I hope everything is fine..:D We all were waiting for ur announcement for RCI: March. so, thought of just leaving a comment..take care n cya dear!

    Hugs,
    Siri

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  57. Yes, I agree. You're right. :)

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