Posted by As a freelance features writer, I enjoy researching and writing on a variety of topics, in the course of which I also meet and interview fascinating people. I recently reached out to some veterans and industry leaders, as part of a larger story I’m working on, to learn about the trends of the early and mid-2000s, and I will be sharing select interviews here on my blog. Today, I speak to Dinesh Raheja, film historian and author of five books on cinema. He has been writing on films for over 40 years and currently runs a YouTube channel Rock with DR where he shares film-related news and views, as well as interviews with film and TV actors and poems in Hindi and English read aloud by eminent personalities.
Dinesh was the Editor of Movie magazine (1988-1999), Channel Editor of India Today’s online film section and the Editor of Bollywood News Service. His five books are – The Hundred Luminaries of Hindi Cinema (released by Amitabh Bachchan), Indian Cinema, The Bollywood Saga (jointly released by Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai), Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam: The Original Screenplay, Chaudhvin Ka Chand: The Original Screenplay, Kaagaz Ke Phool: The Original Screenplay. He has written a book of poems – 101 Haiku by Dinesh Raheja, which was published by Om Books, and has also composed the music and written the lyrics for the music video, Aye Shama.
Over to Dinesh, who speaks about the defining moments of Bollywood from the 2000s onwards:
The year 2000 heralded the start of a new millennium … and the advent of a new phase in Hindi cinema as well.
The 1990s and early 2000s were dominated by neotraditional films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), Pardes, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham tailored to NRI tastes … but that has changed.
Dil Chahta Hai in 2001 was a major turning point. Films began to talk and think in a more contemporary idiom. They may not be qualitatively better than our classic films, but they are more grounded.
Since the last 25 years, mainstream cinema continues to rely on popular genres like comedy, romance, drama and action but at the same time it has given more space to experimental themes … even within these genres.
For example, Bhansali or Imtiaz Ali’s romances have a more assertive heroine and a sassier, less flowery, more tongue-in-cheek tone than earlier love stories.
Millennial films are also grittier and thematically darker than ever before — witness Ram Gopal Varma’s Company and Sarkar, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black and Anurag Kashyap’s oeuvre.
Today, change is obvious in the budgets and FX spending … scaled new records like in new-fangled genres like the spy series (Tiger, War, Pathan) and superhero films (Krrish).
But change is also prominent in the portrayal of women characters — Today’s actresses rarely play the sacrificing sister or harassed housewife. Nor is she the shrinking violet when it comes to sex like she was in DDLJ.
Onscreen women are independent achievers (Vidya Balan in Mission Mangal, Tumhari Sulu) and women with a mind of their own (Kangana Ranaut striking out on her own without men in Queen and Tanu Weds Manu). Mary Kom, Neerja, Tamasha, Piku all have take-control women in the driving seat of their own lives.
They are also romantically more assertive… Alia Bhatt takes the initiative and kisses a man in Kapoor and Sons. In Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Finding Fanny, it’s Deepika who makes the first moves and romantic overtures. Vidya Balan in the Dirty Picture is sexually bold, but the film views her in a manner that’s sympathetic not sleazy.
Pay parity with their male counterparts remains a pipe dream. But there is a change in the attitude towards actresses. The reigning queens of mainstream Hindi cinema today are all in their 30s … and often wives and mothers, as well … Deepika, Alia, Kareena, Kiara!
Biographies have been in vogue — Bhaag Milka Bhaag (2013), Mary Kom (2014), Azhar (2016), Sanju (2018) — but most of them had some degree of hagiography.
And the percentage of the film’s budget given over to star fees has risen dramatically. I was just speaking to filmmaker Sunil Darshan who says it has shot up from 25 percent to 75 percent, particularly after the corporatisation of films in the early 2000s.
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This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Mads’ Cookhouse.
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*This is not a sponsored post.
**Copyright in pictures and content belongs to nooranandchawla.com and cannot be republished or repurposed without express permission of the author. As I am a copyright lawyer by profession, infringement of any kind will invite strict legal action.
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It was wonderful knowing about film historian Dinesh Raheja. The evolution of the cinema is so fascinating.
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Your interview with Film historian DInesh Raheja was fascinating. I had heard of his book about 100 celebrated all time actors but did not know the face behind it.I think what Dinesh Raheja points out is how the society too is evolving – more power to the actors and the females.
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Interesting roundup of Bollywood movies of the last few decades through the eyes of film historian Dinesh Raheja. It is fascinating to see the changes that have come up over the years to cater to the taste of the audience, both loca and global.
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Very interesting to know the change. Though we see it, but reading it through milestone decades makes it easier to see and absorb the change.
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Dinesh Raheja is a respected Bollywood veteran who doesn’t shy away from spitting facts. I bet you had an enjoyable time learning about the journey of the industry from him.
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The Film industry and in particular Bollywood industry shifted drastically and are now coming up with more realistic films and defianately web series too. The maturity in the acting of Alia, Deepika, Priyanka, Rani and in special about the Tapassu always impresses me. Got to know many things more about the industry from this post.
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As a Bollywood lover I nodded along with what DR had to say. I’ve witnessed the changes myself, right from the female protagonists to pay parity. Interesting read.
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Oh, this is a delightful trip down memory lane! It’s like having a wise, witty friend explain why we all collectively lost our minds over certain fashion choices and dance moves in the 2000s Bollywood era. We lived this so brings back great memories!
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Dinesh Raheja has such a sharp eye for how Bollywood’s evolved. The shift from the grand, romantic ‘90s to more grounded stories and stronger female leads is so clear now.
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This was a fascinating read — I loved how Dinesh Raheja maps out the shifts in Bollywood through the 2000s, from evolving storytelling styles to changing star dynamics. It makes me really appreciate how much the industry has transformed in just a couple of decades.
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I really loved how he explained the shifts. Also the experiments and role of women in films carried on their own is my favorite genre!
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I was an avid reader of Movie magazine. That was a different era altogether. Dinesh Raheja has rightly pointed out the difference in the treatment of movies after 2000. Yes, the heroines are bolder and are not the bechari heroines of yore who needed to be rescued by the macho hero. Yet, the pay parity is stark. The heroes take a much higher payout than the heroines, who work much harder.
True!
Very interesting and I got to learn so much not just about movies but asking the right questions.
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A nice reminder of the good times of the past when I found Bollywood enjoyable – many of these movies were truly conversation worthy and 2000 a year of a turn…. and i think it is time for another turn again in Bollywood!
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It was a good experience reading through the interview. Bollywood has evolved through the years.
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