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Bollywood

India's film industry has been taking the world by storm. With US actors now featuring in Bollywood movies it is hard to imagine a world before subtitlted Hindi language movies had entered mainstream culture.

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All Content on this topic

Photo collage of actors Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan

Bollywood stars Salman, Shah Rukh Khan receive death threats

Salman and Shah Rukh received separate death threats with the callers asking for ransoms.
CrimeNovember 8, 2024
Women in India hold posters reading 'resist sexual violence' and 'no means no'

Sexual harassment scandal hits India's Mollywood industry

Kerala's movie industry faces a major upheaval after a damning report uncovered sexual harassment of female workers.
FilmAugust 29, 2024
Halle Berry plays the lead character in 'Catwoman' (2004)

Can Bollywood women be compared to those in Hollywood?

Do women in the similarly-named industries share enough in common to compare the two worlds?
CultureFebruary 6, 2024
Fans of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan gather outside a cinema showing "Dunki"

Can Bollywood bring India and Pakistan closer together?

India movie stars have huge fan bases in Pakistan, despite the bitter political rivalry between the neighboring nations.
CultureDecember 28, 2023
Famous Bollywood writer Javed Akhtar talks to DW in Dubai, UAE

Bollywood's Javed Akhtar: Secularism will prevail in India

In a DW interview, renowned Indian writer Javed Akhtar speaks about the rise of Hindu nationalism in his country.
SocietyDecember 12, 202303:52 min
DW "Global Us" Sendungslogo Composite

#MeToo in India: Ending the silence in Bollywood?

How has #MeToo changed Bollywood? Plus: how financial advice for low-income Brazilians is changing lives.
EqualityDecember 1, 202326:06 min
Bollywood actors Warina Hussain (right) and Aayush Sharma dance during the promotion of their film

What happened to Bollywood's #MeToo movement?

Five years ago, reports of sexual harassment and assault in Bollywood sent shock waves through the industry.
FilmDecember 1, 2023
A man looks at a poster of Shah Rukh Khan

Pakistan: 'Afghan Shah Rukh Khan' fears deportation

Impersonator Farhad Khan worries he'll be sent back to Afghanistan as Pakistan cracks down on illegal migrants.
MigrationNovember 21, 202302:38 min
A woman speaks to the camera, sitting in front of a desk with a computer in an office

#MeToo in Bollywood

Five years after the #MeToo movement reached Bollywood, India's Hindi-language film industry, what has changed?
FilmOctober 28, 202312:35 min
Fans of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan celebrate the release of Hindi-language film ''Pathaan'', starring their hero

Does Shah Rukh Khan's fame challenge Hindu nationalism?

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's Muslim religion has become a thorn in the side of Narendra Modi's India, say analysts.
CultureSeptember 22, 2023
DW Shift

AI revolution in advertising

AI makes it happen: ad campaigns feature superstars tailored to local businesses.
Digital WorldAugust 14, 202302:39 min
Indiana Jones und das Rad des Schicksals / Filmstills

Will AI rule or ruin the movies?

Actors and writers are scared to get replaced by AI. But is the technology even good enough yet?
Digital WorldAugust 10, 202303:04 min
A scene from the film "Pine Cone" showing the two queer protagonists embracing in bed.

LGBTQ and diversity at Indian Film Festival Stuttgart

Celebrating 20 years in Stuttgart, the festival offers mixed themes from animal rights to empowerment to diverse love.
FilmJuly 19, 2023
Picture of Indian Hindu fans conducting the "aarti" - a Hindu religious ritual - in front of the film poster of Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan

Are Shah Rukh and Salman Khan Bollywood's last superstars?

Is there any Bollywood actor who can succeed superstars Shah Rukh and Salman Khan?
FilmFebruary 26, 2023
A scene from the Yash Chopra film "Veer-Zaara" starring actors Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta.

Bollywood romances: More than sarees, songs and Switzerland

Netflix's "The Romantics" explores the legacy of love in the Bollywood films of legendary Hindi director Yash Chopra.
FilmFebruary 14, 2023
Thumbnail Choices | Dance

How to become a respected ballet dancer

Pawan Kumar dreams of becoming something "you don't do as a man" — a ballet dancer.
DiversityFebruary 1, 202320:37 min
DW Arts.21 (Sendungslogo Composite)

India's Changing Cultural Scene

Beyond Bollywood? How creatives in India are breaking new ground and taboos.
CultureNovember 19, 202226:06 min
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Love Matters with Evelyn Sharma

Love Matters is here to help you navigate the ups and downs of love — with the help of celebrities and influencers.
SocietyNovember 11, 2022
Screenshot Instagram Schauspieler Shah Rukh Khan

Actor Shah Rukh Khan: Charming the masses 30 years on

The Bollywood icon turns 57 on November 2 and remains beloved among both Indian and international fans.
FilmNovember 1, 2022
A woman sifts through trash next to a dumpster on an Indian street

Promoting zero waste awareness in India

Zero waste campaigners are raising awareness of the need to segregate garbage in India.
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 27, 202205:31 min
Schoolchildren dressed as Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi in pop culture

On Gandhi's 153rd birthday, here are some ways the iconic leader has been immortalized in popular culture.
CultureOctober 2, 202210 images
A still from a Bollywood classic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

India: Boycott campaigns compound Bollywood woes

Almost all new Bollywood releases are facing relentless social media campaigns calling for their boycott.
SocietySeptember 13, 2022
Aamir Khan in a still from "Laal Singh Chaddha" holding up a feather.

Bollywood remakes of Hollywood hits

Critics condemn the blatant copying, but fans are quite happy to see a fresh version of the English-language movies.
FilmAugust 19, 202212 images
"Mehrunsia" won the top prize at the Indian Film Festival Stuttgart

Offbeat films win big at Indian Film Festival Stuttgart

A film on an 80-year-old burning her death bed and one about rural women running a newspaper won prizes at the event.
CultureJuly 25, 2022
Bollywood Film | Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

The end of Bollywood?

Bollywood was once seen as synonymous with Indian cinema. But film tastes are changing on the Asian subcontinent.
CultureJuly 22, 2022
Actor Tapsee Pannu

Indian Film Festival goes beyond Bollywood

Mainstream song-and-dance fare aside, this year's Indian Film Festival in Stuttgart has many offbeat movies on show.
FilmJuly 20, 2022
Famous Indian Bollywood playback singer KK died last night. He had a program in Kolkata in the evening.

India: Star Bollywood singer KK dies at 53

Popular for singing songs in Bollywood movies, singer KK died after reporting uneasiness at a concert in Kolkata.
MusicJune 1, 2022
Poster of a new Bollywood film, The Kashmir Files

The Kashmir Files: Bollywood film that divides India

A Bollywood film about the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus has sparked a huge controversy in India.
SocietyMarch 23, 202204:58 min
A still from the film 'Tsotsi': a man sitting at a table lit by an oil lamp, a woman stands next to him, hands on the table and looking at him with a severe gaze.

Oscars: Where are the African films?

In nearly 75 years, the Oscar for best international film has only gone to an African production three times. Why?
FilmMarch 23, 2022
Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt

Alia Bhatt: Social media 'not a barometer' of success

In this DW interview, the actor talks about her familial ties with Germany, strong female roles and cancel culture.
SocietyFebruary 17, 202201:23 min
Film still 'Gangubai Kathiawadi': a woman dressed in white with her feet on the table.

Bollywood bets on Alia Bhatt for its next hit

As film "Gangubai Kathiawadi" debuts in Berlin, DW met Indian actor Alia Bhatt, who plays a sex worker turned gangster.
FilmFebruary 16, 2022
Black and white photo: Portrait of Lata Mangeshkar

The life of legendary Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar

Singing over 25,000 songs for more than 2,000 Indian films, the iconic singer has died at the age of 92.
CultureFebruary 6, 2022
Lata Mangeshkar

Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar dies at 92

The beloved Bollywood singer is one of the most respected performers in India.
CultureFebruary 6, 2022
Scene from film "Sooryavanshi"

India: How streaming platforms are transforming Bollywood

Streaming platforms are changing the way Bollywood is traditionally consumed, but will it topple the industry?
CultureFebruary 2, 2022
DW Arts.21 (Sendungslogo Kultur.21 englisch)

Arts.21 - Pop culture goes global

Arts. 21 looks at regional pop culture phenomena that have spread around the globe.
CultureJanuary 8, 202226:00 min
Salman Khan

Bollywood star Salman Khan survives snakebite

The actor, who often stars in action dramas, was hospitalized after the bite. But all ended well — even for the snake.
SocietyDecember 28, 2021
Aryan Khan with narcotics police at a bail hearing

Was Bollywood star's son targeted for political reasons?

The son of Indian film superstar Shah Rukh Khan was arrested on drug charges and denied bail for weeks.
SocietyOctober 28, 2021
An Indian man walks past a poster of a popular Bollywood film

How India's COVID crisis has changed Bollywood

Bollywood has estimated losses in the millions, as thousands of cinemas shut their doors nationwide.
FilmJuly 16, 2021
Fans pay tribute to Bollywood legend Dilip Kumar in his ancestral city, Peshawar, Pakistan

Bollywood legend who narrowed India-Pakistan divide

Bollywood star Dilip Kumar brought people from the rival countries together, in life and in death.
CultureJuly 12, 2021
Veteran Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar, right, receives a Lifetime Achievement award at the 54th National Film Award ceremony in New Delhi, India

Bollywood's legendary actor Dilip Kumar dies at 98

Dilip Kumar, nicknamed Bollywood's "Tragedy King," enjoyed a career spanning more than 50 years and nearly 60 films.
FilmJuly 7, 2021
A Bollywood intimate scene

'Intimacy coordinator' wants safe standards for sex scenes

Aastha Khanna is focusing on making a safe space for consent during intimate scenes in Bollywood movies.
SocietyJune 28, 2021
Aastha Khanna, intimacy coordinator

Meet Aastha Khanna: Bollywood's first intimacy coordinator

Aastha Khanna is working to make it easier for actors to establish their boundaries on film sets.
SocietyJune 21, 202102:35 min
Bollywood actor Sonu Sood.

Bollywood reacts to India's COVID crisis

As India reels under a surge of COVID-19 infections and deaths, various actors are out helping those in need.
CultureApril 30, 2021
Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker

Bhasker: Indian government 'tampering with constitution'

Swara Bhasker, a critically acclaimed Bollywood actress, talks to DW about growing authoritarian tendencies in India.
SocietyApril 2, 202103:56 min
Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan honored with FIAF award

The legendary Indian actor has been given the prize for his contribution to preserving cinematic heritage.
CultureMarch 19, 2021
Screebshot Delhi Crime, 2 women look out of a window

Netflix, Amazon woo viewers in India with offbeat television

Netflix and Amazon are rolling out productions for Indian audiences, including those that address social taboos.
CultureJanuary 22, 2021
An Indian cinemagoer walks past a poster of a screening of the popular Bollywood Hindi film 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge'

After shutdowns, Bollywood could take years to recover

The coronavirus lockdowns have left India's film industry desperate for a happier plotline next year.
BusinessDecember 28, 202002:07 min
external

Bollywood during the pandemic

Bollywood's daily wage workers have been especially badly hit by the pandemic.
BusinessNovember 12, 202002:36 min
Media personnel surround Bollywood actress Rhea Chakraborty when she arrived at the Narcotics Control Bureau office in Mumbai

Rhea Chakraborty case: Media sensationalism criticized

Media coverage has played a big role in blurring the lines between fact and conjecture in the case of Rhea Chakraborty.
MediaSeptember 11, 2020
Indien Mumbai Schauspielerin Kangana Ranaut

Bollywood star gets tight security after criticizing Mumbai

Kangana Ranaut had equated Mumbai to "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir" after receiving "open threats."
FilmSeptember 9, 2020