Bollywood in the UK: Hindi Film Market and NRI Viewership

Introduction: Bollywood's UK Presence

The Hindi film industry — commonly referred to as "Bollywood" — has made a significant mark not only within Indian society but has also had far-reaching influence among Indians residing abroad. This paper concentrates on Hindi films in the United Kingdom with respect to the resident Indian population. The United Kingdom alone accounts for a sizeable Indian population, making it only natural that Bollywood movies find a thriving and substantial revenue-generating market there. Hindi films have maintained a long-standing presence in British cinemas for close to thirty years, which is in itself a notable achievement. It not only reflects the large "desi" presence in the United Kingdom but also highlights the enormous market enthusiasm for films produced by Bollywood.

In addition to the massive fan following that is a standard attribute of many domestically produced movies, a good number have performed extremely well at the box office, generating very appreciable overseas revenue. Though a largely positive picture has been painted about the performance of Hindi films in the United Kingdom, there have also been instances of failure and significant flops that have at times caused the typical Hindi film to slide down the charts. During the 1980s, the Bollywood film industry witnessed a sharp fall in its ability to successfully project its productions in the United Kingdom. Whether this slowdown was attributable to quality or a mere change in viewer preferences is not entirely clear. Nevertheless, Bollywood films made a vigorous comeback by the turn of the decade. Ever since, marketing and promotion programmes have been carefully planned and publicised operations. Premieres and promotional events have become star-studded occasions frequently coupled with intelligently designed public relations strategies.

Expectations run high among the sizeable Indian communities based in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Indian producers target the young and upmarket crowd, since most dedicated moviegoers originate from this demographic. It is worth noting that a good number of Bollywood films being produced also depict a typically affluent "desi" family settled abroad. This is known to create a fairly strong impact among Non-Resident Indians, who often relate to the characters on screen as reflections of themselves and find the portrayed themes resonant with their own lives. Seeing their lifestyle mirrored on the silver screen compels audiences to flock to watch these extensively foreign-flavoured Indian films.

It is quite interesting to note that UK audiences rate music as an integral part of the movie experience. It is little wonder, therefore, that a film's soundtrack can itself be a compelling reason to go and watch it. A large part of the success or failure of a Bollywood movie is attributed to its genre. The UK audience is known to be very particular regarding the casting of a film, and there remains a general assumption that established actors and actresses bring a great deal of commercial success. The recent successes of Hindi films in the UK have proved to be a promising source of revenue for the Bollywood industry. As a consequence, money from overseas sales has become a significant portion of any film's income — in many cases, overseas income amounts to as much as 70–80% of the income generated within India.

It is not very surprising, therefore, that many popular films perform better abroad than at home. High-profile stars have only to appear in a well-crafted narrative to draw crowds to the cinema. With the passage of time, Bollywood films have earned the rare distinction of being "home-made and successful overseas." The overseas market has consequently become a very lucrative avenue for the star-studded Hindi film. A good mix of performance, an appealing soundtrack, and extravagant production values go a long way in helping a Hindi film achieve respectable success at the UK box office. The Bollywood movie remains a representation of Indian culture, values, and tradition, thus creating more than just an emotional impact upon the average Non-Resident Indian. The list of films that have been successful in the UK box office is extensive, and there is always a long line of new releases waiting to create their own waves. It is an established fact that the UK simply loves Bollywood.

Literature Review

The UK Film Council published a detailed report based on its fact-finding mission to India, which took place from 8 to 17 March 2002. This report is regarded as highly significant as it outlines various details regarding Bollywood's presence in the UK market. Critical issues such as the magnitude of the Indian film industry, problems such as piracy and copyright, the implications of entertainment tax, the need for better exhibitory and distribution infrastructure, training and education procedures, and key issues related to upcoming trends and methodologies for transforming the Indian film industry were all discussed at length in the report.

The report outlines many reasons that make the Indian media and entertainment industry an attractive prospect for the expansion of the UK's media sector. Bollywood movies have always had a wonderful audience in the United Kingdom, thanks largely to the widespread Indian presence in the country and the hefty fanfare that accompanies launches, promotional events, and releases. There had been a time when popular belief held that films intended for export were only made by veteran producers and had to contain high-profile stars. Although this was partially true, a good number of Hindi movies have proved capable of performing well in the UK market.

Beginning from the mid-1980s, when films began to feature a new breed of stars and performances, they were received well by UK audiences. Films ranging from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (QSQT), starring Aamir Khan and produced in the late 1980s, to the Shah Rukh Khan blockbuster Kal Ho Na Ho (KHNH) have proved to be resounding successes in the United Kingdom. Moreover, Bollywood movies appeal to the average Non-Resident Indian because they evoke a sense of nostalgia, reflecting a great deal of cultural and traditional Indian life and family values. The success of these films can therefore partly be credited to the emotional appeal generated by the "made in India" package. Indeed, many films that have outperformed expectations at the UK box office were not particularly strong performers back home — a clear indication that the very portrayal of the motherland and a closely knit social structure is itself a magic formula for success on the silver screen.

It can rightly be remarked that Indian cinema has come of age. There is a mass appeal that Bollywood has created within UK film circles. It is not uncommon for Indian films to rank well in the UK Top Ten charts. Being primarily musical — with song and dance sequences embedded throughout, combined with extravagant costumes and memorable dialogue — Bollywood movies are truly one of a kind. Great importance is also given to the film soundtrack, which is usually pre-recorded by famous playback singers. For instance, the soundtrack of Kal Ho Na Ho by Sonu Nigam captivated audiences across the world, with many continuing to hum its tunes long after the film had left cinemas.

In addition to the musical extravaganza, there is also the rich display of costumes sourced from fashion capitals around the world. This is regarded as chic and stylish, appealing to the movie-going public. A great deal of money is invested in these lavish ventures. Funding Bollywood movies is indeed a complex issue that can yield mixed fortunes. Most funding is provided by private individuals, and it is only in the recent past that the government deregulated its tight financing laws, thereby allowing banks to enter the controversial arena of film funding. Despite aggressive publicity and excellent box office performances, revenues are undermined by issues such as piracy.