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Bollywood
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Sholay
Sholay Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan (right) and Dharmendra (left) as Jai and Veeru, respectively, in Sholay (1975; “Embers”), regarded as a landmark Bollywood film.

Bollywood

film industry, India
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Written by
Gitanjali Roy
Gitanjali Roy is senior editor, Encyclopaedia Britannica. She has over two decades of editorial experience across digital and broadcast media. 
Gitanjali Roy
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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last Updated: • Article History
Quick Facts
Also called:
Hindi film industry
Date:
c. 1930 - present
Areas Of Involvement:
film
Naseeruddin Shah attacks Bollywood, calls out ‘sickening films’ that celebrate hyper masculinity and feed ‘secret fantasies of men’ • Jan. 31, 2025, 2:40 AM ET (The Indian Express)
Kangana Ranaut talks about lack of ‘dark-skinned’ actors like Deepika Padukone, Kajol today; says those who were dusky earlier are fair today • Jan. 30, 2025, 1:29 AM ET (The Indian Express)
Karan Johar announces Ibrahim Ali Khan’s Bollywood debut weeks after attack on Saif Ali Khan: ‘Strong friendship continues’ • Jan. 28, 2025, 6:39 PM ET (The Indian Express)
Bollywood aspirant model-turned cyber mule handler with Cambodia links among 5 held in Pimpri Chinchwad; links to over 100 cases: Cops • Jan. 28, 2025, 4:27 PM ET (The Indian Express)

Bollywood, Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai (formerly Bombay). Bollywood, a portmanteau combining Bombay and Hollywood, is the largest component of the Indian moviemaking industry, which began in the 1930s and developed into an enormous film empire. Bollywood productions are known for their emotional appeal, spectacular use of music and dance, and contribution to Indian popular culture. (Read Martin Scorsese’s Britannica essay on film preservation.) Very little is known about early cinematic achievements in India, but pioneering filmmaker Dadasaheb Phalke’s Raja Harishchandra (1913; “King Harishchandra”) is thought to be the first feature-length film produced in the country. Sound arrived in ...(100 of 2991 words)

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