Growing up in India, especially in Mumbai, I knew that Bollywood would have a great impact on my life.
Although to be fair, the movie buff in me did not fully come out until I was well into my teens. It was then that I realized that I loved a typical Bollywood movie and everything that it had to offer.
Before I begin, it would only be fair to give you an idea of what a typical Bollywood movie is like:
Disclaimer: Not all movies are the way I describe them and that there are several good movies being released these days, I am just talking about the "typical Bollywood movies".
So, a typical Bollywood movie is one where there are at least two action sequences involving the antagonist and the protagonist with the second leading to the antagonist's defeat.
It has at least four to five songs with the heroine changing her outfit at least once in half of them.
It has a little bit of comedy, some drama, and a resolution at the end.
While I do find these cheesy, and not practical at all there is a huge part of me that loves them immensely.
When I think about why I love them, I do not have a simple, straightforward answer, but just a bunch of speculations.
I would say they please both the writer and the dreamer in me.
Whether it was the story writer in me that enjoys it the most or the audience that enjoys it the most, I thoroughly enjoy Bollywood the fact that for three hours the narrative of life changes. I can witness and be part of a world where anything is possible and anything can happen at any given moment.
It serves as a medium for me. It is a medium for me to escape to from the daily routine of life.
It lets me forget about all the things holding me down and to just let go and enjoy.
In a way, it taught me and still continues to teach me to believe and imagine, and today I believe that is what we all need in our lives.
It allows me to believe in the impossible and to imagine the most absurd and weird things.
Ultimately we all need to let go of rationality and believe in the reel sometimes just for the sake of happiness, sanity and a little bit of excitement.
