Are there inaccurate stereotypes — negative or positive — of the Indian people and culture that Bollywood films perpetuate?
Part of the problem with stereotyping “Indian people” is their incredible diversity. Even though Hollywood has tried hard to create national stereotypes, India is a country in which one could speak some combination of 21 different languages, belong to one of 10 thriving religious groups, have a skin color that could pass for any shade from white to black, be poorer than the most destitute in the West, or have a lifestyle that would be envied by the rich anywhere in the world. Most Bollywood movies celebrate this diversity rather than trying to contain it as many Hollywood movies have done. In doing so, Bollywood might be said to advance an accurate understanding of India as a country that has celebrated diversity over several thousand years, and as one that continues to thrive as a place of incredible contrasts that cannot be contained in simple stereotypes. In what ways can “Slumdog Millionaire” be called a Bollywood film? This is a curious question, and indicates how popular imaginat
