A Comparative Analysis: Bollywood vs. Hollywood Film Industries

This report provides a comprehensive comparison between the Bollywood and Hollywood film industries. It begins with an executive summary and table of contents, followed by an introduction that defines both industries and highlights their global significance. The discussion section delves into the specifics of Bollywood, emphasizing its connection to Hindi cinema and its expansion to include various genres. It also describes Hollywood, focusing on its impact on American cinema. The report then explores the similarities between the two industries, such as their status as major film producers and their shared goal of audience engagement. The differences are also examined, including the budget, plot structures, movie lengths, and audience preferences. The report references multiple sources, including academic journals and books, to support its findings. The conclusion summarizes the key points of the comparison, emphasizing the distinct characteristics of each industry and their respective contributions to global cinema. The paper follows the report format as taught in COMM1085, including a cover page, complete report, and references in APA format.

Running head: A COMPARISON BETWEEN BOLYWOOD AND HOLLYWOOD
A Comparison Between Bollywood and Hollywood
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1A COMPARISON BETWEEN BOLLYWOOD AND HOLLYWOOD
Executive Summary: -
Bollywood is the term that is referred to the film industry that forms the main source
of entertainment in the country of India. Located in Mumbai, the film industry caters to the
entertainment needs of the people in the Indian sub-continent. Similarly, Hollywood refers
the film industry which is more of an international appeal and is in Los Angeles, California in
the United States of America. Both these film industries have a lot in common and different
at the same time. This report will compare these similarities and the differences between the
two industries and also hoe they operate.

2A COMPARISON BETWEEN BOLLYWOOD AND HOLLYWOOD
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..................................................................................................................................3
Bollywood..............................................................................................................................3
Hollywood..............................................................................................................................4
Similarities.................................................................................................................................4
Differences.................................................................................................................................5
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6
Reference List............................................................................................................................7

3A COMPARISON BETWEEN BOLLYWOOD AND HOLLYWOOD
Introduction
Bollywood is one of the most popular film industries in the world. Located in
Mumbai in the country of India, the film industry caters to the entertainment needs of the
people in not only the country but also the people from the other countries. Similarly,
Hollywood is known as the largest film industry in the world. It is the film industry located in
Los Angeles in California and is the home to some of the best and most popular movies that
were ever being made by the directors there. Both these film industries have much in
common with each other and at the same time much different from each other. This report
will look at the similarities and the differences between the two and the way it operates.
Discussion
Bollywood
Bollywood is generally referred to the mainstream Hindi cinema that is popular into
only in the Indian sub-continent but also in the world. The film industry is related to other
state based film industries in India like Tollywood (Bengali and Telegu film industry),
Kollywood (Tamil Film Industry) as well as other regional film industries in the country. As
stated by Govil (2015) most popularly known for its “Masala” films, Bollywood produces
films belonging to the other genres like comedy, romantic, thrillers, horror and other genres.
In the recent times, the distinctions between the films of various kinds of films had been
decreasing and the lines between the genres are becoming blurred. It is for this reason that the
Bollywood is considered to be the largest producer of films in the Indian sub-continent.
Hollywood
Hollywood is the primary nexus of the film industry in the country of The United
States of America which had a profound effect on the films being made in the United States
of America. Hollywood is mainly located in the Los Angeles area of California and it has

4A COMPARISON BETWEEN BOLLYWOOD AND HOLLYWOOD
produced a large number of movies since the times it was a fledgling film industry to the
present day when it is one of the largest film industries producing more than 100 movies
every year. Thus, it can be said that the Hollywood film industry had come across a long way
since the times it was a new industry when it had emerged as one of the largest film industries
of the world (Kramer, 2016).
Similarities
Bollywood and Hollywood both have some similarities with each other. These
similarities include both the film industries being one of the largest industries in their
respective countries. Both film industries are constantly striving to make better quality
movies so that the audience will be able to enjoy them better and also the film industry will
also earn profit from the business that the film industry will make as a result of the audiences
watching the films in the theatres (Dione, 2015). Other similarities between the two film
industries includes the common actors who had acted in movies from both the industries.
These includes actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and other actors who have
acted in both Hollywood movies. In the similar manner, Hollywood actors like Sylvester
Stallone as well as Jackie Chan have been part of Bollywood movies as well. Thus, when
comparing the similarities between the film industries, it can be said that both the film
industries are trying their best to win as many audiences as they can to the theatres.
Differences
Just like the similarities between both the film industries, there also exists a number
of differences between both the film industries. These differences can be explained in various
ways (Kramer, 2015). These differences, first of all included the budget of the films made. It
must be noted that Hollywood movies made at a much higher budget than those of the
Bollywood movies which are made at a much lower rate than those of those of the

5A COMPARISON BETWEEN BOLLYWOOD AND HOLLYWOOD
Hollywood movies. Secondly, the plot of the movie also forms an important point of the
difference between the two industries. In the case of Hollywood, it is seen that these movies
lack songs and dance typical to Bollywood movies but the screenplay that they make turns
out to be quite engaging with the storylines. On the other hand, Bollywood is known for
producing movies which range mostly in the genres of musicals as well as melodramas. As
stated by Govil (2016), these forms the most important point of difference between the
Hollywood and the Bollywood movies. Other points of differences between the movies
include the length of duration of the movies. While it is seen that the Hollywood movies are
around one and a half hours in the latest tradition of the movies. On the other hand,
Bollywood movies have a duration of being around three hours because of all the songs and
dance. Moreover, the differences among the audiences is another important factor in the
movies. Hollywood movies do not refrain from showing of steamy scenes or portraying the
LGBTQ characters in the movies (Ibibi, 2018). While Bollywood refrains from showing such
characters in the movies due to the fear of being censored. These basically forms the main
points of difference the two different forms of film industry shares with one another. It is
because of these differences between these industries that the audiences love these industries
for their kinds of movies.
Analysing the differences and the similarities and the differences between the film
industries allows the audiences to know the type of the film industry that they would want to
be a part of. The audiences who knows the differences can decide for themselves which kind
of films they would like to enjoy. Based on their decisions, they can choose to watch either
Bollywood or Hollywood movies depending on whether they like watching melodramas or
stories with interesting scripts for them to follow. Based on these decisions, they can decide
whether they want to be a part of Hollywood or a part of Bollywood (Dione, 2014).

6A COMPARISON BETWEEN BOLLYWOOD AND HOLLYWOOD
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above discussions in the paragraphs, it can be concluded that the
Hollywood as well as Bollywood, both are the most important film industries in both the
countries. Both film industries are focused on the types of films that are popular in both the
countries. Hollywood and Bollywood both earn huge amount of profits from both the movies
that play in the countries as well as those movies that release outside the countries. Therefore,
it can be said that both the Hollywood and the Bollywood movie industries are trying their
best to produce the best movies that they could be in the industries foe them to earn their
profits in the market.

7A COMPARISON BETWEEN BOLLYWOOD AND HOLLYWOOD
Reference List
Dionne, C., & Kapadia, P. (2014). Shakespeare and Bollywood: The Difference a World
Makes. In Bollywood Shakespeares (pp. 1-18). Palgrave Macmillan, New York.
Govil, N. (2015). Orienting Hollywood: A century of film culture between Los Angeles and
Bombay. NYU Press.
Hasan, A., & Nika, F. A. (2014). Glocalization: A study of Bollywood movies. International
Journal of Communication and Social Research, 2(2), 55-60.
Ibbi, A. A. (2013). Hollywood, the American image and the global film industry. CINEJ
Cinema Journal, 3(1), 93-106.
Krämer, L. (2017). Adaptation in Bollywood. The Oxford Handbook of Adaptation Studies,
251.
Layton, M. J. (2014). Illusion and reality: playback singers of Bollywood and Hollywood
(Doctoral dissertation).
Nelson, M. R., & Deshpande, S. (2013). The prevalence of and consumer response to foreign
and domestic brand placement in Bollywood movies. Journal of Advertising, 42(1), 1-
15.