Seriously, why do Indians ( or Hindi ) dance round the trees ?
Excerpt
Bollywood has been an important part of me when I was growing up. Bollywood has grown with me as I grew up with it. It has changed a lot for the good or the worse, but definitely it has changed more so to keep up with the change in its audience.
Recently I felt this need to clarify to my non-Indian friends “Why do people dance around trees in Indian movies?” They no longer do! Yes, they used to and when I watch old bollywood movies its funny to me as well. (Disclaimer: When I say Bollywood I mean only Hindi movies, because I can only speak for them). Bollywood produces what the Indian audience would consume and it does it very well. At the end of the day its a product which needs to be sold and no ones gonna buy it if they dont like it.
Now, why the running around trees? Well, India’s culture has been very conservative and the movie industry has well reflected it. Showing real emotions is what film-making is about and sexuality is one such expression of emotions which is not far from humans anywhere in the world. Conservativeness brings hypocrisy with it! So while India has the largest population in the World (I assume due to the promiscuity), talking about sex within families remains a taboo. This has to be reflected in movies isn’t it? What could make it worse? Somehow bollywood focuses a lot on romantic love stories. So when a couple makes out its usually depicted as a pre-game seducing act which sometimes happens by running around trees chasing each other. I know it sounds dumb, but when the chase ends the game begins, but the game is not meant for screen as it is “against the culture”. Sometimes this game is depicted by flowers rubbing against each other. I am not kidding! Makes a bit more sense now?
Dancing around the trees ... a form of subtle fore-play for the Indian's pair in love.
Excerpt
Bollywood has been an important part of me when I was growing up. Bollywood has grown with me as I grew up with it. It has changed a lot for the good or the worse, but definitely it has changed more so to keep up with the change in its audience.
Recently I felt this need to clarify to my non-Indian friends “Why do people dance around trees in Indian movies?” They no longer do! Yes, they used to and when I watch old bollywood movies its funny to me as well. (Disclaimer: When I say Bollywood I mean only Hindi movies, because I can only speak for them). Bollywood produces what the Indian audience would consume and it does it very well. At the end of the day its a product which needs to be sold and no ones gonna buy it if they dont like it.
Now, why the running around trees? Well, India’s culture has been very conservative and the movie industry has well reflected it. Showing real emotions is what film-making is about and sexuality is one such expression of emotions which is not far from humans anywhere in the world. Conservativeness brings hypocrisy with it! So while India has the largest population in the World (I assume due to the promiscuity), talking about sex within families remains a taboo. This has to be reflected in movies isn’t it? What could make it worse? Somehow bollywood focuses a lot on romantic love stories. So when a couple makes out its usually depicted as a pre-game seducing act which sometimes happens by running around trees chasing each other. I know it sounds dumb, but when the chase ends the game begins, but the game is not meant for screen as it is “against the culture”. Sometimes this game is depicted by flowers rubbing against each other. I am not kidding! Makes a bit more sense now?
Dancing around the trees ... a form of subtle fore-play for the Indian's pair in love.
