Cinema and box office

I stopped watching Bollywood movies the day I realised most were cheap imitations of the Hollywood originals (‘Sunday Anchor’ page – “‘ >Soul of cinema is being sold to box office ’,” June 21). Film-makers like Karan Johar himself have rarely made a film without the ‘ masala ’ element. Even though some have come up with a formula mixing commercial cinema with art movies, providing both quality and commercial value to movies, these are exceptions. Films like Baby , which had an original plot, carried forward by great acting and positive reviews, did not do so well at the box office. Movies supposedly based on historical events rarely take care of details of that time. It is sad that a Bollywood film is said to be good only when actors flaunt six-pack bodies while actresses must shed their clothes. All that sells at the box office is entertainment, entertainment and entertainment. It is no wonder then that Bollywood films rarely fare well abroad.

Sweety Gupta, 

New Delhi