Bollywood Recipes for Success

My eyes were glued while having my hair cut today to the TV screen which showed a Bollywood movie. As a result, I in-subordinated my barber instructions which gave him real challenge to complete his job excellently. Luckily, I do not have much hair to really challenge his skill though !

I remembered well when I was a child, watching Hindi movies was kind of a routine for my family after good lunch on Sunday. Two hours glued on monitor, before going out playing with my friends. "Kuch kuch ho Tahe", "Mohabbatein" ( excuse me for the spelling) conquered Malaysia at one time, which I considered as new generation of Hindi movies that follows. It was like a tsunami. People talked about it. Now, Bollywood influence are everywhere, from North Africa, Europe, Asia and rest of the world.

Read more at Bollywood Factors

Even, OSN Ya Hala, OSN new Arabic channel leverage on Bollywood influences to promote the new channel.

Here is what I got from Youtube Channel.

What made Bollywood productions and movies successful ? What are the recipes ? In any business model,

Profit= Revenue- Cost . Simple formula. If you know what go inside and go outside, then the business is in good hands.

But what are the critical success factors that really make the cut which Bollywood movies are able to differentiate themselves from Hollywood movies through product differentiation strategy through creative marketing and branding?

1. Economies of Scales

How many movies being produced annually in Bollywood? Below are some of the statistics

Source : Wikipedia Bollywood In the above case, Bollywood produced more to make profits knowing the environment that the Bollywood movie producers is operating - less regulation with regards to intellectual property, low or almost non existence of law enforcement etc.

2. Predictable and Simple Storyline

It is about a hero and heroine who fall in love, different family backgrounds, corrupted leaders and policemen, mafia and gang who involve in drugs, illegal weapon trades, eastern values of respecting the elderly and parents, the poor being the victim of the rich, the good and the bad, the evil and the angels and in the end, the hero will win. Both the hero and the heroine will live happily together ever after. It is not complicated at all. No sequels of the movies.

3. Colourful Choreography

The costumes and the props are just colourful and cheerful. Red, Green, Blue and all sort of colour combination. It really cheers up the audience.

4. It is all about Human Emotion

Sadness, Happiness, Love, Hatred - All in one package. The audiences are invited to make a journey full of emotions throughout the movie.

5. Choice of Actors/Actress

Models, beauty queens and beautiful people. Young and energetic. Well built and in good shape- the like of Aishwarya Rai, Arjun Rampal, Hritrik Roshan, Kajol . Shining and angelic faces. Rough and evil look for the bad characters.

6. Commercially Focus

Even if the movies are based in true story, those elements 1-5 are incorporated and embedded in the movies. Because in the end, it is not about awards in film festivals- Sundance Film Festival, Berlin Film Festivals alike, Emmy Awards, Golden Globes etc. Interestingly, the Bollywood movies have their own film festivals and awards Bollywood Movie Awards. So the question that come to one's mind 'Are they too much focusing on commercial elements rather than " art" ? ". My view, this is art to the Bollywood.

So, my next question is whether my fellow Malaysian movie producers are up to the challenge to commercially produced movies that capture the imagination of the world ? What are the recipe of success for Malaysia ?

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