When I was a young child, my grandparents introduced me to Bollywood. Specifically, they showed me a movie that would forever be dear to my heart, called Khabi Khushi Kabhi Gham. In English, this title means “Sometimes Happiness, Sometimes Sadness.” This film taught me so much as a child and as I grew up watching it every now and again, I started to see the importance and impact the movie--and Bollywood--has had on my perspective of cultures, the world, and family.

Family Values

This movie revolves around the topic of family, kinship, and the clash between old values and modern ones. One concept presented and explored in this film, which I have grown to respect highly, is the idea that there does not need to be blood relation or kinship to be a part of a family. In fact, there can be more of a connection between someone who is not your blood than someone who is, which is a topic explored in another one of my favorite Bollywood films called Baghban. This concept taught me the truth about what constitutes as a family, and the fact that blood relation is not what’s most important about a family’s structure. Also, the idea of respecting your family and honoring them the best way you can in life is another ideal presented in the movie, which I found both interesting and inspiring.

Cultural Relativism

When you grow up living in a specific culture with specific values and beliefs, sometimes you judge others without adopting the concept of cultural relativism. Cultural relativism means that you put aside any cultural biases to try and understand a culture through its own eyes. Watching Bollywood films not only showed me Hindu traditions and cultural practices but also introduced me to new perspectives and explanations that contributed to their belief systems. Through the Kabhi Khushi Khabhi Gham film, specifically, I learned at a young age that you cannot judge a faith or culture without questioning and taking the time to understand their different perspectives of life first.

Learning a New Language and Culture

Moreover, watching the various traditions and practices presented through Bollywood films has helped me gain an interest and understanding of the Hindu culture and language. Personally, there are many similarities with the Hindu culture and the one I was born into, so I found aspects of Hinduism easy to understand and at times relatable. Also, growing up in a household were English and Gujarati were spoken, it wasn’t very difficult to decipher Hindi, which most Bollywood films are written in. It was a lot of fun learning about a new culture and deciphering a new language as well.

Effects of Immigration and Cultural Assimilation

In several Bollywood films, the topic of immigration is vaguely implied and though it is not completely addressed, the assimilation of one culture into another is shown as well. It’s interesting to see the effects of Hollywood and Western culture on the lifestyle of immigrated families. Many aspects of a culture can be adapted to fit in with others, from clothing to the language the family speaks. If you’re not familiar with the subject of assimilation, intently watching a Bollywood film can show you a lot about the truth of immigration and how it changes families, sometimes without their knowledge. Suddenly you may find that the characters are speaking more English than before, use more popularized phrases, and or wear a whole new type of wardrobe.

Unique Storylines

Have you ever watched a Hollywood film that involves the shunning of an adopted son because he failed to go through with an arranged marriage and who is then manipulated by his brother--who he doesn’t know is his brother at first--to return home and mend their broken family? Or perhaps you’ve seen that Hollywood film that discusses a retired husband and wife learning the truth about their children, who want nothing to do with them. Yeah, not likely. These plots are from Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and Baghban, respectively. One thing I really like about Bollywood films is the uniqueness of their plots. They can put so many unfamiliar concepts into perspective and show you stories you may have never seen or thought of before.

I am grateful for being introduced to Bollywood films. They have taught me so much about the importance of cultural relativism, the effects of cultural assimilation, and have shown me new inspiring perspectives about family life and culture. I would certainly recommend watching Bollywood films, especially my ultimate favorite, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham.