Indian cinema, much like the nation that produces it, is an affair of superlatives. It is, and has long been, the country that produces the most films per year — as many as 16,000 in a multitude of distinct regional languages. As Indian presence on the global stage grows, Desi — the Hindi term literally meaning “from the country” — cinema will only continue to grow with it. Sometimes overwhelming, occasionally incredulous-laughter-invoking, and always heartwarming, Indian films demand increased worldwide attention.
For the Indian diaspora — also the world’s largest — nothing quite evokes the sense of home like a good Desi film. Unlike Western films, which often branch into the fantastical or scientific, Indian films more commonly root themselves staunchly in Indian culture. The highest-grossing Desi film of all time, “Dangal,” which grossed over $300 million, is based on the true story of two champions in the ancient Indian wrestling discipline of pehlwani. This is at odds with the highest-grossing Western film, “Avatar,” a film about a foreign planet light years away. Deliberately highlighting the ancient and deep-rooted nature of Indian culture is a key facet of every Indian film. Indian moviegoers do not go to the cinema to escape; they go when they are homesick.
Nonetheless, this does not mean that Indian cinema is inaccessible to a foreign audience; films like recent phenomenon “RRR” and its earlier counterpart “Lagaan” help the Western world reckon with its colonial past. Indeed, Indian cinema is an authentic and readily available vessel to express what was lost and what remains after colonialism.
Moreover, Indian cinema is fun. If Western cinema has set standards for movie making, Desi films mercilessly shatter them in an abrasive, unceasing whirlpool of delightful madness. Indian cinema will be unlike anything you have seen before — Hrithik Roshan musical breaks perfectly choreographed to make you stand up in the theatre and dance, smouldering Salman Khan roundhouses that beg for a whistle podu, and smirking Shah Rukh poses to which you can’t help but shed a tear.
As India develops rapidly, turning from a pastoral, poverty-stricken nation into one of the flag-bearers of the 21st century, exploring Indian cinema and the ancient, multi-pronged culture that it embodies is essential. The latest Indian films can be found on any streaming service; Netflix and Prime Video boast a sprawling collection, emblematic of India’s future-focused approach. No matter the language, all that’s left for you is to put on the subtitles and press play as you are transported to a bustling Bombay dhaba, a sleepy Kerala backwater, or a regal Jaipur palace in a flourishing nation that will not wait for you.
