1 Read the article and tick true or false.
‘Bollywood’ is the name of the enormous Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai, India. The name is a mix of ‘Bombay’ (now known as Mumbai) and ‘Hollywood’. Bollywood’s output makes it the largest national film industry in the world in terms both of the number of films produced and the number of tickets sold – though not in terms of profit. In 2006 Bollywood films sold 3.8 billion tickets worldwide and had total revenues(from cinema tickets, DVDs, and television licensing) of $1.6 billion. In the same year films made in Hollywoodsold 2.7 billion tickets but generated$51 billion.
Bollywood attracts thousands of aspiring actors, all hoping for a lucky break. As in Hollywood, very few succeed. Only a tiny number of non-Indian actors make a mark in Bollywood, though many have tried.
The first silent film was made in India in 1913. By the 1930s the industry was producing over 200 films a year. The first film with dialogue, Alam Ara, was a huge hit. At first romantic musicals were the commonest types of film, but in the 1960s action films began to appear, and these became increasingly popular. However, in the early 1990s the trend went back to family-friendly musicals. Bollywood is now a strong part of modern culture not only in India, but also in the rest of south Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. It also has a large audience in the UK, Canada, and the US.
Bollywood budgets can be low by Hollywood standards, and sets and special effects can be limited by this. As Western films and TV programmes gain popularity in India, however, there is more pressurefor Bollywood films to have higher production values. Film crews from Mumbai now often film abroad, as audiences enjoy scenes shot overseas.
The biggest challenges facing Bollywood in India are from satellite TV, television, and foreign films, which are all having a massive impact on the domestic entertainment scene. In the past, most Bollywood films could make money – now fewer do, but it is still a successful and increasingly international industry.
Example: Mumbai used to be known as Bombay.
1 The name ‘Bollywood’ is a combination of two words.
2 Bollywood sells more tickets than any other film industry.
3 Bollywood’s total revenue was higher in 2006 than in 2005.
4 There are no non-Indian actors in Bollywood.
5 The first Hollywood silent film was made in 1917.
6 People in Indiahave always liked the same kind of films.
7 Bollywood films are popular in many parts of the world.
8 Bollywood films cost much less to make than Hollywoodfilms.
9 All Bollywood films are set in India.
10 There are more Bollywood fans in the UKthan in the US.