Lewis is bedazzled by Bollywood

That evening, Lewis the Lion was in for a real Indian treat: he was off to watch a Bollywood movie in one of the best cinema houses in India and certainly the largest cinema in Rajasthan. He was going to the Raj Mandir Movie Theatre to watch one of the latest Bollywood blockbusters, Dabangg 2 staring one of Bollywood’s biggest actors – Salman Khan.

Lewis the Lion learnt that there are two main family dynasties that star in Indian cinema: the Khan family and the Kapoor family and Salman Khan is perhaps the most popular actor of the moment. But what was so special about Bollywood films anyway?

Well first of all, Lewis the Lion discovered that the film he’d be watching that evening would be in the Hindi language. Surely he wouldn’t be able to understand it? Or so he thought! Dushyant joked on that in Bollywood films (which come from Mumbai) the acting is often melodramatic and there are often big dance scenes with hundreds of dancers who make gestures as if they are screwing in a light-bulb and patting a dog at the same time! At any rate, Lewis the Lion was up for being entertained so excitedly entered the huge cinema house.

Inside the foyer of the cinema, Lewis the Lion could see huge chandeliers hanging in domes from the ceiling. There was something very art-deco about the place. It was all very pink and ostentatious but Lewis the Lion loved its glitz and glammer. Furthermore, popcorn and sodas were just so cheap here – a much more reasonable night out compared to cinema prices back home in the UK.

When Lewis the Lion entered the auditorium he realised that it wasn’t just going to be the film that entertained him here but the audience too. Here there was a real energy in the room and people weren’t afraid to shout things as the film ensued, throw popcorn at the screen, applaud at certain scenes or even get up in the aisles and have a dance themselves!

Even though the film was in Hindi, they often mixed it with English words so that Lewis found that he understood rather more than he realised. It was very visual and so he found that he could follow the story quite easily. It had lots of comedy in it and to his surprise the main actor couldn’t just act but he was a formidable dancer too. In fact lots of men were fantastic dancers in this film particularly in the huge dance scenes – Lewis the Lion just loved the choreography of these scenes and wondered if he might learn to dance a bit of Bollywood himself one day? It just looked like so much fun!

Rather strangely, there were several intervals during the film to allow people quick toilet or refreshment breaks. Lewis the Lion figured that’s because Bollywood films are often much longer than your standard Western films. It reminded him of how it was back in England many years ago!

Lewis the Lion thought that the film was fantastic: a really great, feel-good movie. It was no wonder then that he discovered that this film which was a sequel to the film Debangg, turned out to be the biggest film opener for a non-holiday Friday in India. It then went on to become a huge financial success, grossing more than US $42 million globally.

Have you ever seen a Bollywood film? What Bollywood dance moves do you know?