Bollywood and the Indian Muslims

GOTFIVEONIT · #16 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pushpa

Has anyone seen 'Dhokka'? Sure, it's about jihadists and terrorists, but the central character is a Muslim police detective who remains loyal to India. However, I don't know whether this film was meant as a reflection of changing attitudes in and of Indian Muslims, or was simply presenting an ideal that Indian Muslims should follow. I thought it was pretty sympathetic towards Muslims though, as it portrayed 'Islamic' terrorism as the product of constant oppression and brutality at the hands of the Hindu-dominated authorities.

I like Syed Ali Mujtaba's writing...

it was to present an idea that hey should follow. country first, islam second. according to polls i have seen, around 65% of Muslim's in India, identify themselves as Muslim first then Indian second. which irks alot of Hindu's, especially fanatics.

Variable · #17 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 09:13 AM

How come most bollywood is in Urdu? Is it a Pakistani creation?

Jamroll · #18 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Variable

How come most bollywood is in Urdu? Is it a Pakistani creation?

Actually, it's in Hindi, which is a language very similar to Urdu, although they have completely different alphabets (Urdu uses Arabic script, Hindi uses Devangari script).

Hindi and Urdu speakers can easily understand each other, they only differ on certain words (Urdu contains more Arabic and Persian words; Hindi contains more sanskrit words, although it too contains Arabic and Persian words).

They're essentially almost the same language.

GOTFIVEONIT · #19 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 09:38 AM

while that is true jamroll, you also have to remember that alot of script writers are themselves urdu poets or urdu novelists themselves from northern india. plus the type of hindi spoken in northern india, such as u.p., is more like urdu, then in the rest of india.

and the first bollwood movies were in fact made by muslims. which is why you see alot of muslim culture on display in older movies.

most bollywood movies are targetted for the state of uttar pradesh (or if you wanna calll it united provinces) which is india's largest state, at over 100 million people living there.

GOTFIVEONIT · #20 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Variable

How come most bollywood is in Urdu? Is it a Pakistani creation?

bollywood has been around long before the creation of pakistan itself.

Jamroll · #21 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GOTFIVEONIT

and the first bollwood movies were in fact made by muslims. which is why you see alot of muslim culture on display in older movies.

Interesting. I did not know that.

GOTFIVEONIT · #22 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamroll

Interesting. I did not know that.

ya alot of poets and urdu literature writers. mostly from north india, and especially from U.P.

in fact, most of the mohajir community in pakistan hail from northern india, especially U.P.

Variable · #23 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamroll

Actually, it's in Hindi, which is a language very similar to Urdu, although they have completely different alphabets (Urdu uses Arabic script, Hindi uses Devangari script).

Hindi and Urdu speakers can easily understand each other, they only differ on certain words (Urdu contains more Arabic and Persian words; Hindi contains more sanskrit words, although it too contains Arabic and Persian words).

They're essentially almost the same language.

How come everyone says "Most bollywood movies are in Urdu anyway"? (and by 'everyone' I mean two people, but that's the most opinion I've heard on the matter)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GOTFIVEONIT

bollywood has been around long before the creation of pakistan itself.

I guess so. I just always associate it with grainy footage of choreographed love songs that appears to have been collected in the 70's.

Jamroll · #24 (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Variable

How come everyone says "Most bollywood movies are in Urdu anyway"? (and by 'everyone' I mean two people, but that's the most opinion I've heard on the matter)

Lol. Well, technically those two people are wrong. They are in Hindi. But practically speaking, they're not far off. The difference between spoken Hindi and Urdu is probably less than the difference in English between someone from the US Southern states, and someone from New York.

GOTFIVEONIT · #25 (**permalink**) 03-11-2008, 08:15 AM

besides they do it on purpose. they purposly use urdu. after all you cant ignore a market of 200 million urdu speaking muslims, who are the largest and a very large minority. plus exports on video to pakistan as well, not mention the rest of the world. so that's why you will see alot of urdu being used, especally if its in a media targeted at muslims. for example, india's state-run tv, doordarshan (notice thats hindi for a far view) has an evening news broadcast in Urdu.