Felicity Pickering | Blonde in Bollywood

I have learnt an immense amount from the Marketing Bollywood Program. I feel as though I have been given insight into a highly complex world. I now understand how production, distribution and marketing can come together to make a comprehensive strategy.

This program expanded my understanding of Indian culture and the differences between the Indian Film Industry and the Australian Film Industry. Below is a few differences that I have noted. This table mainly relates to mainstream Bollywood cinema (not festival films).

Australian Film Industry vs Bollywood
Australia	Bollywood
Industry
-less emphasis on stars-more focus on director -emphasis on getting funding from government bodies (attempts made to get the government involved) -stars (generally) less important than stories -music less important -Dance numbers not usually incorporated -few films made each year -small industry not linked by family -bigger film festival scene -fewer taxes on films	– stars worshipped like gods-Bollywood tries to keep government uninvolved -stars are more important than the director -script writers less respected -songs can make or break a film -music incredibly important -big divide between single screen and multiplexes (Changes in marketing) -many movies centre around love or marriage -Muslim people and issues depicted more positively than in Hollywood -many, many films produced each year -film ‘families’ often control film production -mafia money available -music sections of film are used as video clips and played on MTV -video clips played a few weeks from films release
Films
-Usually around ninety minutes long-Love is not as a big as a theme-more emphaisis of accurate depiction of reality (in my opinion)	-films around three hours long-films have an interval in the middle for smoking or getting food -samosas sold at cinemas -bigger range of products sold at cinema (e.g Jewellery sold) -Films often localized (made in a particular area for that particular audience) -many films concern themselves with love, marriage and arranged marriage -warnings have to be shown at the beginning of films that show smoking or drinking -greater variety of cinematography (lots of jump cuts, fast forward) -more escapism
Marketing
-Limited marketing used-big emphasis on social media campaigns -bigger emphasis on website -films hardly ever advertised on television -postcards used to promote films -crowdfunding often used	-more extreme measures used. Many staged events (PR scandals)-less concern for police getting involved -posters often put on street -social media strategies less important -higher emphasis on scandal -higher emphasis on the stars and their personal life used to promote the movie -postcards not used -television marketing very important -songs used as marketing tool

So there are a few observations that I have made. Please comment or give me feedback or argue with me!

Yesterday we met the producer of Tanu weds Manu, Sailesh Singh.

I learnt a lot about Bollywood and how it functions. The most shocking part is that Sailesh told me that writers are not respected in Bollywood, not as respected as in Hollywood (not that they are respected much there either)! He told us that often films are bought and sold off the stars that are within the film.

The gang with Sailesh.

He told us that financiers will not read the script but will get a pitch, hear the stars attached and then approve or disapprove of the film.

The most exciting thing that came out of the interview is that Sailesh said he would like us all to pitch ideas of how to market his newest film. So, it’s now being organised for us to come back to his office to see his newest film which is still in post: Sixteen. Then he would like to hear our ideas about how to market the film!!! So exciting!

After the meeting, we headed to Juhu beach again. When we were coming in we saw a restaurant called Bora Bora which looked really fancy. We decided to go there for dinner. It was so beautiful as it overlooked the beach. It also meant as I was able to get MEAT! Since all food is included in this program it is strictly vegetarian.