Passage III

From Theater to Film

Hindi cinema, which is the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai, India. It’s unique aesthetic derives from Parsi theater troupes in Mumbai in the late 1800s. An ethnic group possessing a diversity of skills in business and the arts, the Parsis used this expertise to produce elaborate theatrical productions. These productions appealed to broad audiences by drawing upon ancient Indian epic literature and drama as well as incorporating dance, spectacle, and song. (34)

Hoping to emulate the success of the Parsis, they adopted Parsi theatrical methods. Hindi cinema’s first feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913), was based upon an ancient Indian epic poem. Hindi filmmakers continued this epic tradition in subsequent films exploring social and economic conditions in India. The 1957 film Mother India, for example, portrays a families struggles against poverty through several generations.

Mother India, like many Hindi films since sound rose in movies, also did not use synchronous sound—actors dubbed their lines after filming was complete. Complex musical numbers are a defining characteristic of most Hindi films. This serves as interludes designed to entertain the audience rather than to advance the plot. (42)

Often featuring multiple settings or romanticized backdrops, musical numbers in Hindi cinema emphasize spectacle. One number in the 1951 film Awara was shot on thirteen different sets. Two love songs in the 1981 film Silsila, set at large in India, was shot among tulips in Holland. In regarding the Parsi tradition of using spectacle to appeal to a broad audience, many Hindi films today incorporate elements from Indian folk music, classical music, and modern pop, often within a single song.

Hindi cinema is now one of the largest film industries in the world, enduring criticism by some for its use of outdated technology. Modern Hindi filmmakers continue to apply the conventions of Parsi theater by remaining faithful to Indian traditions while appealing to a wide range of audiences.