But India's economy, fueled by a telecommunications revolution, has boomed in recent years. Experts predict it will expand by up to 10 percent this year. Millions of people have moved out of poverty into a bulging middle class life.
The movies, meanwhile, seem to be changing with the good times, away from pure escapism to more sophisticated stories.
"There's a growing realization that there's this huge other market apart from the poor people in the rural areas: a cosmopolitan, English-speaking audience, in India and overseas, with a different taste," said Raj Baronia, the executive editor of Indolink, a California-based company that runs several Web publications, including Planet Bollywood.
Going Dark
Some producers are now experimenting with new story lines that tap into the tastes of this new market, even if the movies often retain the fairy tale and musical aspects of the classic Bollywood films.
Perhaps the best example of this trend is the 2001 hit Lagaan, which was nominated for a Best Foreign Language Academy Award. This four-hour epic tells the story of a ragtag group of Indian farmers who form a cricket team to take on the British taxation authorities in the 19th century, hardly the most accessible storyline.
In Asoka, also released in 2001, a young prince in the third century becomes a tyrant in his pursuit of other kingdoms. Eventually overcome with guilt, he turns to spirituality, dedicating his life to the message of Buddha.
The prison drama 3-Deewarein, or Three Walls, which came out a year ago, follows a documentary filmmaker who forges a bond with three convicts, one of whom killed her brother.
"We would never have seen anything that dark a few years earlier," said Ramchandran. "The changes have to do with what's going on in the country. India is seeing a certain light at the end of the tunnel, so people are willing to accept and discuss reality, and cinema can be a vehicle for that."
Going Kitschy
At the same time, Hollywood seems to have discovered Bollywood kitsch, the most obvious example being Moulin Rouge, the exuberant 2001 musical starring Nicole Kidman. With its colorful visuals, elaborate sets and costumes, and simple story line, it seemed straight out of Bollywood.
The musical was reportedly influenced by a trip director Baz Luhrmann took to India in 1993 and his fascination with Bollywood. The movie even featured a sparkling closing number based on the Hindi song "Chamma Chamma."
Several Hollywood studios are said to be eyeing remakes of Indian movies. "They're looking to India as a way to add to their portfolios," said Baronia. "They've seen how successful some of these movies can be."
Ramchandran believes people are drawn to fanciful movies in times of uncertainty.
"When we lose faith in the establishment, which is what I think we're seeing now, we move toward escapist movies like Moulin Rouge and Chicago," he said. In that sense, what's happening in Hollywood is opposite from what's going on in Bollywood.
Ramchandran is now directing his first feature film for Fox Searchlight, called Kid Bang.
"It's like Saturday Night Fever," he said. "Bollywood-style."
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