WHAT IS BOLLYWOOD?by BOLLYWOOD MASALA

WHAT IS BOLLYWOOD?

The name Bollywood is derived from Bombay, now known as Mumbai, India. Bollywood signifies the Mumbai Film industry, which is India’s Hindi Film Industry. The term "Bollywood" was introduced in the 1970s. It is the largest film industry in India and globally, based on the number of films produced and released each year. The term Bollywood was coined when the Indian film industry surpassed Hollywood. If you are aware of Bharatanatyam, it is a classical dance form from India. You can learn more about the history of Bharatanatyam.

In 1896, Auguste and Louis Lumiere came to Bombay to introduce cinematography. This led to Bombay becoming the center of India's Hindi film industry. In 1913, Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, produced the first full-length film, "Raja Harishchandra." The first Indian film with a soundtrack was "Alam Ara," which was released in 1931.

Since the 2000s, Bollywood dance and films have gained greater international recognition, driven by the growing NRI and Indian communities abroad. Their popularity continues to flourish alongside new talents. Read more about how to perform Bollywood Dance.