Movies in India

The Indian film industry is one of the largest in the world, at about 800 feature films a year. Indians love to go to the movies: it is probably the main leisure activity of the nation! Nearly every Indian movie is a musical, filled with song, dance, and fantasy. Even more serious or dramatic films include songs.

For some Indians, the standard 3 hour movie is a complete experience....the stars and playback singers are household names and closely tracked in social life. Songs are released well before the movie to encourage people to see it. Films are a great leveler in society: everyone watches, everyone talks, and everyone has an opinion.





Film through the Decades:

The first movie in India (from France) was shown on July 7, 1896 in Mumbai. In 1913, India created its first silent moving picture. Learn More India entered the age of "talkies" in 1931, with the release of "Alam Ara". Learn More Movies of the 1930s often addressed important social and political issues. Learn More By the 1940s and early 1950s, the love of film and patriotism were both at an all time high as India gained independence from England. Learn More The 1950s and 1960s brought color to Indian movies and began the escapist trend in full force. Learn More A break in film was evident in the 1970 and early 1980s. Two camps emerged: the big-budget, star centered films vs. the socially conscious, "art" cinema. Learn More By the late 1980s and 1990s, movies returned to the musical love story format with modern twists.