Growth Strategies Case Study

Brand `Bollywood`: Going Global

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Abstract:

By mid-2000s, Bollywood movies (the Hindi language movies produced in India) were going global. These movies were attracting larger audiences in the overseas markets than ever. They were gaining popularity not only in traditional markets such as the UK and the US but also in countries like Germany, Israel, France, Japan, etc. With time, more and more Bollywood movies were released overseas and enjoyed by a larger audience. With a rapidly growing overseas market, foreign distributors demanded extensive changes in the style of movie-making. They wanted films that conformed to international standards in terms of content, presentation, duration, etc. In this scenario, analysts wondered whether or not Indian moviemakers would change their style to be accepted globally.

The case deals with the evolution of Bollywood-style movies and their growing popularity in the overseas markets. It also discusses how they are performing in the non-traditional markets and raises a debate on whether the Indian producers would change their style of moviemaking.

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To discuss the evolution of Bollywood into the world’s largest film industry
• To assess how more and more Bollywood movies are gaining acceptance in foreign markets
• To understand how Indian producers & directors went ahead and entered non-traditional markets too
• To understand the changes required in Bollywood movies in order to customize them for local audiences
• To discuss whether Bollywood movie directors would change their style of film-making in order to gain international acceptance.

Keywords : Bollywood; Indian film industry; Indian entertainment industry; Hollywood; Hindi movies; Crossover movies; Oscar; BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts); Monsoon Wedding; Lagaan; Growth Strategies Case Study; Devdas; Bend it like Beckham; Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (K3G); Song-and-dance sequence; Cannes film festival

Contents : 
A Short History Of The Indian Film Industry
The World’s Largest Film Industry
Bollywood: Crossing Continents
Targeting The Indian Diaspora
Luring The Western Audiences
Moving Beyond Traditional Markets
Wanted: ‘Western Style’ Bollywood Movies