| A-Z of Bollywood
New to Bollywood? Or just looking to brush up on the basics? In either case, check out our A to Z of Bollywood...
ANGRY YOUNG MAN
A stock Bollywood character closely identified with Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan. The actor first starred as the Angry Young Man in Zanjeer, and has since attributed the popularity of this archetype to the contemporary dissatisfaction of the country under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
BANDRA
An otherwise unremarkable suburb of Bombay and the invisible line which marks the beginning of Bollywood.
CHAMCHA
A star's 'yes man'. Literally translates as 'tablespoon', as he 'tablespoons' himself snugly around the star.
DUSHUM DUSHUM
The onomatopoeic way of saying fight sequence, liberally scattered throughout the films so we can see just how macho the hero is.
EXTRAS
Overworked, badly paid and appallingly dressed.
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FRUIT CARTS
The most commonly used fighting prop.
GOSSIP MAGS
Bitchier than Heat, publications like Stardust, CineBlitz, Star 'n' Style and Filmfare keep us up to date with filmi philanderings!
HOLI
The Hindu festival of colour, a day during which everyone gets trollied and sprays coloured water at each other. Often used in films as it provides a perfect opportunity for singing and dancing and drenching the heroine's top.
INDIA
India releases more than 21/2 feature films a day, watched daily by over 5 million people who throng the country's 13,002 cinema halls.
JAI SANTOSHI MAA
One of the most successful and worst made films of all time. Concerned with wifely piety, the movie is credited with creating a goddess, Santoshi Maa, who now commands followers.
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KISSING
A self-imposed ban has held sway over the industry since the 1940s. Results in a lot of fierce hugging and shots of bees going into flowers.
LOVE
Be it in Kashmir, Tokyo or London, love makes the filmi world go round.
MAHURAT
The name of the first shot in the can and celebrated with food and drink.
NIGHTCLUBS
The preferred lair of any self-respecting villain.
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OYE OYE
A song from an otherwise unremarkable film that shows just how the Bollywood drive for spectacle can go drastically wrong. Possibly the most politically incorrect song in the history of the industry, 'Oye Oye' featured blacked-up dancers romping about in a cave being fearsome. Most remarkably was used to promote Zee TV's launch in Africa.
PLAYBACK SINGERS
Ever since sound came to the cinema, Indian film has had songs. At first the actors sang the songs themselves, but since the 1940s professional singers have sung for them. Often they become stars in their own right.
QUEEN BEE
The name given to the industry's top heroine of the moment.
RONA DHONA
The scenes of weeping and wailing; usually the mother's prerogative.
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SPOT BOYS
The lowest in the studio pecking order. In charge of bringing tea, coffee and plastic chairs.
TAXATION
The industry has laboured under absurdly high tax for decades, often over 102 per cent.
UNDERWORLD
In the past, gangsters laundered their money by funding films about the underworld. Brilliant idea.
VAMPS AND VILLIANS
Vamps are loose ladies dressed in revealing Western clothing who attempt to snare the hero with their bedroom eyes. The villain prefers clashing plaids and says things like, "Trousers are no passport to success, lady!"
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WET SARIS
A sari may be six metres of flesh-concealing cloth but a well-timed downpour will play havoc with all modesty. Saris, especially chiffon ones, just become so clingy and revealing of our heroine's ample curves.
X-RATED
The Indian pornography industry is very underground and populated by prostitutes and men who grow beards to hide their identity.
YODELLING
Not something you usually associate with Indian music but during the 1960s playback singer Kishore Kumar discovered he could yodel and so peppered his more upbeat songs with his melodic warbling.
ZURICH
All love songs need a spectacular backdrop to emphasise the beauty of the hero and heroine's love - Switzerland has been the location of choice since the late 1970s.
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