When Hwang Dong-hyuk’s survival drama Squid Game became the most-watched series on Netflix in the final quarter of 2021, it was a significant moment for South Korea. It was proof that audiences in the west had the capacity for and, more importantly, the desire to consume media from overseas. Indeed, it seems as though South Korean drama is now experiencing the same kind of boom that Japanese anime saw in the late 1990s, when series like Dragon Ball Z and Pokemon had an entire generation of children stuck to their television screens.
In fact, storytellers from Asia have been capturing the imaginations of English-speakers for decades now, with directors such as Akira Kurosawa and Wong Kar-wai becoming extremely popular amongst cinephiles. In recent years there has been more collaboration between western and Asian talent, with filmmakers such as Park Chan-wook making their English-language debuts. What all of this seems to suggest, therefore, is that those residing in places like the United States are willing to overcome the cultural barriers that often present themselves when watching films and television from Asia. However, if this is truly the case, then why does Indian cinema, specifically Bollywood, still tend to get overlooked by global audiences?
There are countless great directors, writers, producers and performers who have turned it into one of the most flourishing film industries in the world. From Mother India (1957) to Lagaan (2001), Sholay (1975) to Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Mr. India to Dangal, Bollywood has been entertaining its millions of fans since the early 1930s. So why then does it not receive the same recognition, and respect, as Japan, Hong Kong, or South Korea? Simply put, what makes it so inaccessible? Arguably, it shouldn’t be. Not at all. If we take a closer look, you’ll be able to see why.
First, what comes to mind when we think of Bollywood cinema? Even the uninitiated…