Mass Media Today: A Comparison

Mass Media : Films

1930s
First Talkie in India made by
Ardeshir Irani in 1931.

Major commercial success
clearly making a huge market
for talkies and musicals.
Studio system emerged.
The Bombay Talkies
Prabhat Studios
The New Theatres
Films of the Decade
One of the best
works, also
called the
Iconic Movie of
1930s.
Kisan Kanya
first colour
movie.
Creative use of
symbology and
imagery in Duniya na
maane or Kunku.
1940s
Period was of political unrest all over the world.

Movies-Political or patriotic or based on social issues like Aage Badho, Aaj
Aur Kal, Chalte Chalte, Chandrashekhar, Chhin Le Azaadi, Dak Bangla,
Neel Kamal, Samaj Ko Badal Dalo, Yeh Hai Zindagi.

IPTA - Indian Peoples Theatre Association formed.
Objective-representing the crisis of the time through the medium
of theatre and to help people understand their rights and duties.
Neel Kamal
Aage Badho
Indian Peoples Theatre Association
Films of the Decade
Aurat was a huge hit and Mother
India (Hindi version of Aurat) also
went on to become a popular
movie amongst the people.
1950s
This was a decade of firsts-
India held its first film festival in Bombay in 1952
Do Bheega Zameen and Pather Panchali won at Cannes and
several other foreign and national awards.
At International Film Festival of India,
with Frank Capra (Leading filmmaker of
U.S. in 1930s-1940s)
S.K.Ojha's Naaz (1954) was the first Hindi film to have location work
done abroad, in London and Cairo

Guru Dutt's Kaagaz Ke Phool was the first black and white Indian film to
be made in Cinemascope

K.A.abbas made the first Indian-soviet co-production Pardesi(1958) and
first film in technicolor -Jhansi Ki Rani.

Sohrab Modi's Mirza Ghalib (1954) became the first Hindi film to get the
President's Gold Medal

1960s
1960s saw a shift from social concerns to romantic genres- Andaz,
Guide, Sangam, and assertive nationalism like Haqeeqat(1964) was
based on Sino-Indian War in 1962.
Raj Kapoors Sangam popularised shooting on foreign locales.
Mughal-E-Azam was the most famous movies breaking all records
on box office with its lavish sets, amazing songs, and fabulous acting
skills by Madhubala and Dileep Kumar.
1970s
Indian society - unrest; unhappy with - governance, rising prices,
corruption and food-scarcity.

Brimming with energy and positive aggression, the common man,
particularly the youth, wanted to see radical changes in the society. Enter -
the character of angry-young-man
It placed the finger right at the pulse of the nation.
First horror movie.

It established Ramsay
Brothers.
Kissaa Kursee Ka was a
political satire on the then
prevailing emergency in India.

This movie was banned and its
prints confiscated by the
government.
1980s
Advent of women filmmakers
Kalpana Lajmi (ek pal and later Rudali),
Meera nair (salaam bombay)
Vijaya Mehat (rao saheb) and the likes.
The critical and commercial success of
Satya - distinct genre - Mumbai noir,

urban films reflecting social problems in
the city of Mumbai.

Social issues had less relevance now and more prominence was
given to the entertainment value.
1990s
The industry became sensational, sensual and added the glitz to the
Bollywood creations.
Producers spent huge money for foreign locations.
Glamour took new strides in the Bollywood and celebrity became the
buzzword.
2000s
Some fine films based on real issues.
There are directors who are not afraid to take controversial subjects
without caring about commercial consequence.
Perzania, Black Friday, Water, are some good examples of this so
called real cinema. Films like 3 Idiots, Rang De Basanti and Lage
Raho Munna Bhai ideate revolutionary concepts and change our
perception, waking us to stand against all odds in different ways.
The 2000s saw a growth in Bollywoods popularity in the world. This led
the nations filmmaking to new heights in terms of quality, cinematography
and innovative story lines as well as technical advances in areas such as
special effects, animation, etc.
Dev D and Gulaal were shown at 6
th
Venice
Film Festival
Bollywood releases abroad - overseas market, explosion of
multiplexes in big cities => wider box-office successes

The earlier trends in Indian cinema were more specifically related to
the Indian audience but the recent incline is towards a global concept.
Conclusion
1930s 1940s
Introduced sound and colour in Indian Films.
Social and Political themes.
Studio system emerged in 1930s and ended by 1940s setting new trend
of freelancing.
1950s
Indian cinema goes International.
1960s
Shift from Social issues to Romantic genre and Nationalism.
1970s
Unrest in society need for radical changes birth of Angry Young
Man, political satires etc.
1980s
Dark years of Indian Cinema more of pure, senseless,
entertainment.
1990s
Glamour, glitz, foreign locations, sensuality gained more
importance.
2000s
Perfect blend of real Issues and entertainment.
Directors more experimental.
More innovative, better technology, use of special effects and
animation.
Target audience not only Indians but globall inclination can be seen.
Bollywood is a century old industry now.

From Mother India to Jodhaa Akbar, from black and white to color and
from mute to Dolby Digital, the change has been immense and
unimaginable.

Yet, there is a lot of reel yet to run, before the world's biggest film
industry becomes a hit.