Bollywood is the Indian Hollywood, making popular movies. But unlike Hollywood, Bollywood almost always makes musicals and has the characters tangled in love triangles and arranged marriages. They sing, dance and have issues just like normal non-singing and dancing people. Bollywood movies thrive mainly on the traditional ways of Indian culture and the new modern ways. There are many contrasts between what is old and what is new in these movies and it is shown as a tug-of-war. On one side you have the modern ways, maybe a woman is in love with a man who isn't her arranged husband, and on the other side you have the traditional ways, the woman can't get out of the arranged marriage. We chose Bollywood as a topic because it brings up this tug-of-war in almost every one of its flicks. The movies show the actual conflict while adding some singing, dancing and a little bit of drama in it.

 

First Picture

          

http://www.impawards.com/2002/posters/monsoon_wedding_ver2.jpg

    Monsoon Wedding, made by Oscar nominated filmmaker Mira Nair, strongly grasps the ideas of a traditional vs. modern tug of war. Specifically in this film, the character struggles because she does not know if she should marry the man her parents tell her that she should marry, or if she should marry the man that she actually loves. The YouTube video explains the deeper plot, but also the overall struggle between this woman and the man she will marry.

 

 

Second Picture

 

http://www.bollywooddreams.net.au/imagelib/Taxi9211.jpg

    This film, Taxi No. 9211, is about two people from different classes on the social ladder: one character is a taxi driver and the other character is going to receive a large amount of money due to the death of his father. Unfortunately, the father's will is not to his son, and he thinks that the will is illegitamate. In order to receive the money, he must get the key from a safe, and to get there, he uses a taxi. During the taxi ride, the two characters feelings and opinions collide together. Once he reaches the safe, he realizes that the taxi driver has the key and the games begin... This movie represents modernity and traditionalism because it is very traditional to protray the different social classes and how easy it is to go down it (if the man does not find the correct will, then he will immediately go down the ladder),  but it is also very modern because, until recently,  the different social classes did not communicate with each other as these two people did.

 

 

Hearts of New Delhi

 

Characters:

Rupa: the main character, arranged to be married to a man she doesn't love

Amod: the man that Rupa wants to marry

Bhim: the man that Rupa is arranged to be married to

Neeta: Rupa's mother, loves tradition

 

Setting:

New Delhi, Neeta's house

 

This is the key scene where Rupa is getting ready for her wedding to Bhim with her mother's help. Rupa and Amod have kept their love a secret, but if they don't act soon they will lose each other forever.  

 

Rupa: Mother, I have something to tell you. It's not going to be easy but it needs to be said.

 

Neeta: Go on darling. Anything you want! It's your day.

 

Rupa: That is what I wanted to talk to you about. Mom, I don't want to marry Bhim! I don't love him!

 

Neeta: What? What does love have to do with it? You get married then you fall in love that's how it works.

 

Rupa: No mom, that's how it worked for you, but that will not work for me. I am already in love?

 

Neeta: Who can you possibly love?

 

Rupa: Amod.

 

Neeta: Amod? Amod?! How could you love such a man? He is nothing compared to Bhim.

 

Rupa: Well I still love him.

 

Neeta: Well I don't care. I am going to check on the guests and when I came back you will be ready to get married to Bhim.

 

Rupa: But mother!

 

Neeta: No buts! You do what I say and everything will turn out alright. You'll see you will love Bhim soon after your wedding.

Neeta leaves the room leaving Rupa alone and devastated. Just then Amod come through the door.

 

Rupa: Amod!

 

Amod: Oh please tell me that you are not going to marry that awful man.

 

Rupa: I tried to tell my mom but she is making me do it.

 

Amod: Then run away with me forever!

 

Rupa: I cannot! They have already paid the dowry and if I'm not getting married my parents will be out of the money that they paid for me.

 

Amod: Then what are we going to do?

 

Rupa: I don't know.

 

Footsteps tell the two that Neeta is coming back to the room.

 

Rupa: Oh no! Amod you have to leave! Go through the back door.

 

Amod: I will figure a way out of this! I love you!

 

Rupa: I love you too!

 

Amod leaves and Neeta appears in the doorway.

 

Neeta: Well it's almost time. Are you ready?

 

Rupa: No. But what choice do I have?

 

The scene ends.

 

 

 

 

 

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