The Bollywood film industry is a
multi billion dollar machine. India makes more films each year than any other country making Bollywood, not Hollywood, the largest film industry in the world. Over fourteen million
Indian people go to the cinema everyday and Indians commonly go to see a
movie ten to fifteen times a year. Bollywood churns
out 800 films a year, twice as many as Hollywood. Film production budgets have also soared in recent years. Devdas, the first Hindi film to be screened at the Cannes
Film Festival cost $13 million to make. Such lavish productions have ensured Bollywood's success globally. Outside of India, Bollywood's appeal reaches
audiences in Russia, China, the Middle East, the Far East, parts of Africa and Europe. The actors and actresses have become household names the
world over. In Mumbai (Bombay) - the capital of Bollywood -
actresses such as Ashwariya Rai
and Madhuri Dixit adorn
billboards and posters. Their names are synonymous with success, wealth and
beauty. They command salaries which the indigenous population can only dream
of. They promote an image that is part Eastern and part Western and they
appeal to boys and girls dreaming of a movie lifestyle. Bollywood
stars endorse over 1000 products from Pepsi to Palmolive.
Since its birth Indian cinema has developed its own set of conventions.
Sticking to a tried and tested formula of boy meets girl, they fall in love,
endure family opposition and in the end struggle through with their love
intact. Bollywood films were careful to steer clear
of nudity and explicit material. Films such as Mother India, Pakeeza and Sholay explored
themes of honour, loyalty, sacrifice and family values. Critics have
described these films as timeless classics and the stars still remain icons.
For example, Amitabh Bachchan
was voted the star of the millennium in a BBC online poll.
Despite focusing on relationships the films of the past were careful not to
offend. Actors were careful about their clothing and proximity to the
opposite sex. Sensitive subjects or explicit scenes were never shown on film
and the camera would pan out to images of lush fields and stunning waterfalls
to convey risqué material.
Bollywood films now mirror Western films
Nowadays this approach has been replaced by a more bold and daring stance.
The actresses wear less and ever more revealing costumes, the scenes are far
more graphic than before leaving little to the imagination. Directors, in
response to the demands of the audience have produced blockbusters that deal
with subjects such as infidelity, rape and even homosexuality. Younger
generations find the traditional storylines predictable and boring and so
scriptwriters have tried to solve the problem by changing storylines to
reflect real life. ‘Jism’, a film based on a Hollywood movie called ‘Body Heat’, has attracted controversy for its
use of storylines based on fornication and the glamorisation of adultery as
dangerous and exciting.
Keen to follow in Western footsteps, Bollywood in
recent times has produced films that both shock and woo audiences the world
over. Tastes and norms have changed and what was considered immoral and
perverse a few years ago is now regularly reflected on the big screen. Bollywood leading lady Priyanka
Chopra was quoted as saying "In Indian films, kissing is becoming more
acceptable and I wouldn't give it a second thought." This shift in film
content is not surprising. It is argued that as times change, so do the
demands of audiences and thus the explicit and graphic storylines are part of
the attraction to viewers. Bollywood seeks to be
seen as a credible player in the world of film production and aims to rival Hollywood. Gone are the days where Sri Devi
and Rekha would infer their feelings through song.
Now an actress is expected to yield to pressures to strip, dance
provocatively and go as far as the director demands. Ten years ago the career
of any actress would have been ruined if she dared to bare all, now it is a
prerequisite if she is to do well.
Previous Bollywood films steered clear of open
relationships between men and women and observed religious boundaries with
their characters. This has also changed. Films such as Kuche
Kuche Hota He and Devdas have attracted a huge fan base amongst the youth.
They provide a world of glitz and glamour, where familiarity with the
opposite sex is the key. The heroes and heroines speak Hindi and wear Shalwar Kameez but imitate
Western storylines in all other respects. Religious boundaries are ignored,
as Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims are shown to overcome differences by love alone.
Changing values
An influx of MTV, Western icons and a fascination for all things Western has
resulted in an injection of Western values into the Asian subcontinent that
has affected millions of people, Muslims included. This has resulted in
cinema-goers no longer being satisfied with big budget dance numbers and
songs alone. Rather, audiences now crave graphic sex scenes, explicit
language and all manners of depravity to keep up with their Western
counterparts. Bollywood producers and film-makers
have seen the potential in these storylines and have been quick to make
movies that reflect and accommodate these changing tastes and values.
The changing nature of Bollywood and the society it
represents has also been influenced by the Western obsession with all things
Eastern. The recent trend for the adoration of anything Eastern from mehendi to Indian cuisine has aided the crossover from
East to West and has further compounded the change in values and norms that Bollywood is now portraying. Selfridges, the department
store, completed a 'Festival of Bollywood' selling
some of the outfits worn by the stars. Bombay Dreams and Bend it like Beckham have received rave reviews from critics. The
latest offering promises Bollywood star Ashwariya Rai, a former Miss
World, as the leading lady in the new James Bond film. Western recognition is
the proof that Bollywood is as good as Hollywood, if not better.
The result of all this is a new set of norms, tastes and values that are
unrecognisable from the Indian film industry of a few years ago and are a
million miles away from the beliefs of Muslims and Islam. In today's Bollywood modesty is outdated, family values are shunned,
respect for parents is ignored and marriage is made a mockery of. The old
values have been replaced by freedom, promiscuity and lewdness.
The actors are a reflection of the
times
The movie stars are increasingly becoming a symbol
of the new Bollywood culture that represents a
shift in morals and attitudes. Their personal and professional lives indicate
standards of behaviour that would not have been accepted or tolerated by the
stars of yesteryear. A flick through any of the showbiz magazines reveals
stories of Bollywood stars involved in shocking
behaviour; public brawls and fights, affairs, infidelity, drug taking and
divorce are now commonplace. For example, Aamir
Khan hit the headlines for fathering an illegitimate child and Fardeen Khan, son of 70's actor Feroz
Khan, was arrested for possession of cocaine.
Furthermore, the once innocent image of the Bollywood
film industry has been shattered with police investigations into scandals of
money laundering and organised crime. Tax evasion hit the news last year when
a huge police operation resulted in the raiding of homes and businesses
belonging to a variety of Bollywood stars. Urmilla Matondkhar, Amrish Puri and Rajesh Khanna were all questioned in relation to their earnings
and financial assets.
Western and Eastern values are not
permanent
The changing nature of the Bollywood film industry
to portray a different set of norms, traditions and values is due to the
non-permanent and ever-changing nature of both Eastern and Western values.
Within both East and West, there are no inherent truths, morals or acceptable
standards of behaviour. Right and wrong and good and bad are not fixed but
evolve with the change of times and with the differing beliefs and values
held by the people. Thus, previous limits and boundaries have gradually
become eroded over the years such that all manner of subjects and taboos have
been removed.
This fickle and transient basis of values and beliefs results in a complete
loss of any moral stability or decency within society. Where once it was
understood that Eastern values represented conservatism, respect, obedience
and modesty, this no longer stands true. This basis of accepting values,
simply on the basis of people's tastes, whims and desires, will inevitably
lead to the most despicable actions and behaviours being tolerated and then
becoming the normal pattern of behaviour. Therefore, Bollywood
is now very similar to Hollywood and it will only be a matter of time before new forms of
depravity are depicted upon the cinema screen on the basis of entertainment
and a changing of the times.
Islam has permanent values that are
different to Bollywood and Hollywood
For the many Muslims who watch Bollywood movies, it
is inevitable that they will become influenced by the more graphic and
explicit content that the industry now shows. Islam rejects the idea that
right and wrong, good and bad are merely subjective values that reflect a
particular time and place. Morals, values and beliefs in Islam are determined
by Allah (swt) and are not subject to the influences of human beings or their
wishes and desires.
What is haram (prohibited) one day does not become halal (permitted) the next simply because society deems
it so. A Muslim never has to re-evaluate his values according to societal
changes, so it doesn't matter that it is now the norm to commit adultery,
take drugs and mix with the opposite sex. The Islamic viewpoint on these
things and other matters has been fixed by Allah (swt) till the day of
judgement. Islam came to cater for all realities and for all times. Allah
(swt) tells us in the Quran;
يَا
أَيُّهَا
الَّذِينَ
آمَنُوَاْ
إِن تُطِيعُواْ
فَرِيقًا
مِّنَ الَّذِينَ
أُوتُواْ
الْكِتَابَ
يَرُدُّوكُم
بَعْدَ
إِيمَانِكُمْ
كَافِرِينَ
"O
you who believe! If you listen to a faction among the People of the Book who
were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians), they would indeed render you
disbelievers after you have believed." [TMQ Ale-Imran: 100]
Islamic values do not need to be changed or compromised so as to fit the
'modern' image and values of Hollywood or Bollywood. Rather, the fact that
they are permanent and from the creator of man leads to a feeling of
stability, comfort and tranquillity for the Muslim. The duty upon the Muslims
is to expose the false ideas and beliefs of the West and East and their
disastrous consequences for society.
When accountability and obedience to the wishes of the Creator becomes the
yardstick, a person's actions are not governed by the practices of wider
society. Halal and Haram
replace the criteria of benefit and enjoyment.
من توكل لي
ما بين رجليه
وما بين
لحييه توكلت
له بالجنة
"Whoever can guarantee what is
between his two jaw-bones and what is between his two legs, I guarantee Paradise for him." [Sahih Bukhari]
The Muslim applies the Islamic values and tastes in all aspects of his life
from personal worship to how be buys, sells, marries, raises his children and
so on. Secularism has no place in the Islamic personality. There is only one
reference point; not a mish-mash that resembles the
Sikh and Hindu cultures. The Quran Al-Karim
contains all that a human being needs to function and a Muslim is careful to
find the guidance on all issues that he faces.
أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ
بِبَعْضِ
الْكِتَابِ
وَتَكْفُرُونَ
بِبَعْضٍ
فَمَا جَزَاء
مَن
يَفْعَلُ
ذَلِكَ
مِنكُمْ
إِلاَّ
خِزْيٌ فِي
الْحَيَاةِ
الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ
الْقِيَامَةِ
يُرَدُّونَ
إِلَى
أَشَدِّ
الْعَذَابِ
“So
do you believe in some part of the Book and disbelieve in some? The penalty
awaiting those who do this is nothing but humiliation in this life and the
severest punishment on the Day of Judgment." [TMQ Al-Baqarah: 85].
A believer has nothing in common with a mushrik
simply because they speak the same language or eat the same food; these are
not what define a person, rather it is the values that he carries. No matter
what popular culture dictates, the Muslim does not succumb to current fads
and passing trends especially when it comes to how he views his life. So even
if the West seems to celebrate Asian culture, this is not a celebration of
Islam but of kufr, so it holds no weight for us.
It is clear that a Muslim should look to Bollywood
with the same disgust as he would look at Hollywood; both are industries which promote values completely alien to
Islam, promoting a lifestyle, which is based on falsehood. Such a way of life
can only lead to misery in this life and the hereafter. Looking at Western
and Eastern society, we can witness the effects of the corrupt way of life
and degenerate morals and behaviours that are portrayed on film. While the
Muslims are flooded with Western and Eastern films and programmes, we should
be mindful that this is a deliberate attempt to distance us from Islam.
وَمَا
كَانَ
لِمُؤْمِنٍ
وَلَا
مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا
قَضَى
اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
أَمْرًا أَن
يَكُونَ
لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ
مِنْ
أَمْرِهِمْ
وَمَن
يَعْصِ اللَّهَ
وَرَسُولَهُ
فَقَدْ ضَلَّ
ضَلَالًا
مُّبِينًا
“It
is not fitting for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger
have decided a matter, to have any option about their decision. If anyone
disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong path."
[TMQ Al-Ahzab: 36]
And for He (swt) says:
فَلاَ
وَرَبِّكَ
لاَ
يُؤْمِنُونَ
حَتَّىَ يُحَكِّمُوكَ
فِيمَا
شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ
ثُمَّ لاَ
يَجِدُواْ
فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ
حَرَجًا
مِّمَّا
قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ
تَسْلِيمًا
"But
no by the Lord, they shall not be believers, until they make you judge in all
disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against your
decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction." [TMQ An-Nisa: 65]
Whether we look to the East or the West, what we see is the overwhelming
darkness of kufr. The Bollywood
dream is in fact a myth, a myth that is beamed into our homes and used to
further remove us from the truth. Just as the West has tried to influence
Muslims worldwide, the East and the culture it represents is 'a wolf in
sheep's clothing'.
We do not need to turn to any culture other than the Islamic culture to solve
our problems and to define who we are. Allah (swt) sets the parameters for
our life and they are not subject to flux and change like the fickle values
of the Western and Eastern way of life.
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