Why Bollywood does not lend itself to relocation
Bollywood is essentially its people and ideas, coming from all directions and shaping stories that sell. The mix has helped shape Mumbai’s character as a melting pot; Bollywood reflects a mini-India
(Image: Reuters)
Bollywood, or the Hindi film industry, is used to scripting and selling dramas, and not being the centre of a political one. This year began badly with COVID-19 shutting down the industry, then sections of news media portrayed it as a den of drugs and vice, and now it is caught in the middle of an overt political battle between the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The UP government wants Bollywood at least its titans to move to a new Film City being designed on the banks of the Yamuna. The Maharashtra government sees a conspiracy in this.