Since starting this program, I feel like I’ve been consuming media, art, and culture with a brand new lens. There are some pieces that simply enlighten me. Others inspire me. And a rare few give me insights about my practice.

I watched Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, a love story between two rebels defying an arranged marriage, a well known tradition for many Indian families. The film was released in 1995.

What astonished me about the film was not the plot, but how it was produced.

First and foremost, the cinematography and overall art direction was gorgeous. The wide shots, integration of nature, costume color and fabric choices in each environment, all incredibly well done and executed with such beauty that I was captivated by this alone.

The music was also quite beautiful. Almost all of the lyrics were in Hindi, but the way that the songs are sung and performed gave a lot of information about the esthetics about Indian culture (or, at least Bollywood’s output of it) at that time. A lot of the songs were really echoey and dream like, and I noticed the women sing at a really high tone, almost mouse like. It was fascinating to me because people generally don’t sing like that in America unless they were looking to portray a specific mood or persona. Im also curious of the style of the music was in some way supposed to relate to the plot.

The dance scenes were also amazing! I always appreciate well orchestrated fanfare. I feel like in the US its a lot less common to see these days.

The acting – cheesy 😆 definitely feels “acty” and like a performance rather than how people actually are. Perhaps that is some of magic of the film, however. I didnt mind it, but at times it made me chuckle.

Overall, I really enjoyed the film. I found pleasure in the attention to detail, the commitment of the actors to their characters, the musical scenes, and the surrealness of the experience. I think in the US, Hollywood has taken a really different direction, with funding geared more towards advanced special effects, or for movies they expect to drive quick ticket sales.

As an outsider, I’m curious of Bollywoods role in perpetrating cultural norms or capitalism in India. The movies are an output of culture that are definitely deeply ingrained in history and social context, but dont paint the full story. Also, I think I understand for the first time how non-Americans view Hollywood and Los Angeles. The productions have a way of making a place feel like magic, even if the actual reality of being in that place is quite different (news flash, Los Angeles isn’t that inspiring). I know Mumbai is a major city, but I wonder what the experience of actually living there is like for the locals, and how that experience contrasts with tourists’ expectations.