Do you hear the word Bollywood and think someone just mispronounced Hollywood? Or are you a bit more savvy that and need some insight into Hindi culture meanings found in Bollywood films.
Bollywood films are spectacular, over-the-top, and melodramatic. They are also incredibly popular in many parts of the world.
Here is an insider’s guide to the gestures, the adornments, and the important words and titles used in Hindi cinema.
Insider’s Guide to Bollywood and Hindi Films
What is Bollywood?
Bollywood is a catchy moniker for the popular Hindi films made in India. The term Bollywood also refers to the Hindi language film industry, specifically centered in Bombay, India. A synonym for Bollywood is Hindi cinema, which doesn’t quite roll of the tongue like the term Bollywood.
Bollywood films are about romance, comedy, family, melodrama, adventure, and can be musical. While not all Bollywood films are musical, music is an important element in Bollywood films.
To Bindi or Not to Bindi
Bollywood is filled with glamorous women, some wear a bindi, and others do not.
A bindi can designated a married woman, or be used to protect against bad luck. A bindi can be in the form of a dot, or a jewel that adorns the lower forehead of a woman. The bindi has been adopted by Western culture for its sheer style.
Is She Married?
The bindi is one way to indicate a married woman in Bollywood, and in Hindi culture. Another way is to mark the parted hair with a streak of red on the scalp.
Love, Let Me Count the Ways
Different cultures tend to have many ways to express important cultural concepts, and the degrees or levels of those words. In the world of Hindi film, that word is love and its many levels and implications.
How many ways can you say love? In Hindi film titles, there are many word used to express love. One is pyaar, which actually means fondness, affection, love, or attachement. See
Pyaar Ke Side Effects (2006)
Humko Tumse Pyaar Hai (2006)
Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen (2005)
The word “Dil” shows up frequently in Hindi film titles. Dil can mean relay many love-related words and concepts including
heart, soul, courage, or spirit. Some notable films with “Dil” in their titles include:
Mera Dil Leke Dekho (2006)
Koi Mere Dil Mein Hai (2005)
Dil Chahta Hai (2001)
Another word, muhabbat is also a frequent star in Hindi movie titles. means love, affection, fondness or friendship.
Prem is another word used to denote love, affection, kindness, and “tender regard.”
Prem (1995)
Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke (2000)
(All definitions are from Word AnyWhere.com)
The Bollywood Tease
While not out rightly banned anymore, the kiss in Bollywood films is a rarity in comparison to Hollywood films, where kissing is commonly filmed. You can see kissing scenes in some Bollywoodmovies, and in others, the actresses refuse to kiss on screen. An on-screen kiss can also land actors and actresses in a real life courthouse.
Many Bollywood films play it safe and steer clear of the the controversial kiss.
Thumb Gestures
Did she just wag her thumb at him? All cultures have their own non-verbal gestures made with fingers and hands. Westerners may see an actor in Bollywood films wagging their thumb at another character. A thumb wagging is a non-verbal shaming gesture, or the equivalent of the verbal “tisk tisk” in Western cultures.
Namaste
Saying namaste, while placing palms together in a prayer position is a form of respectfully greeting someone. Namaste can be translated into different meanings, including “salutation to you” or the more subservient “I bow to thee.” Namaste is sometimes translated more spiritually to say “The divine in me recognizes the divine in you.”
How Bollywood Men Apologize
Okay, it’s not just Bollywood men. It could be women too. In Bollywood films you may occasionally see an actor tugging on his or her ears. In cinematic context, this is a way of apologizing to someone.
Expressed Through Dancing
In the US, Hollywood has an ongoing love-hate relationship with the musical. We are currently coming down from a musical love fest. In Bollywood, the musical gets all love.
Music is a key component to a film’s success in Bollywood. Not just any music, the films need to have good music, and good dancing. Bollywood films use the traditional vehicle found in musicals, where the words and choreography actually contribute meaning to the plot.
