Bold scenes a regular feature in Bollywood,is it going the Hollywood way?

Well,so far Indians were prudes bearing the cross of Victorian morality but it’s no longer the same. Those days seem to be far behind us and we certainly seem to be in a tearing hurry to reclaim the lost glory of the land of Kamasutra.

On-screen lip locks have been making headlines for close to a decade. But given the sharp rise in their frequency,it now seems passé to even mention them. Mallika Sherawat’s 17 kisses and steamy scenes,once a novelty seem rather tame compared to item numbers that are a regular feature even in family entertainers. But more significantly the last decade has witnessed the rise of strip-starlets like Poonam Pandey,who shot to fame with the mere promise of baring it all to celebrate India’s World Cup Victory. Or Sherlyn Chopra,who after a music video,a reality show and a film— Kamasutra in 3d,is making a name for herself as India’s very own Playboy bunny.

What is interesting is that in keeping with changing times most mainstream actors too have had a change of policy as far as on-screen lip clinches and intimate scenes are concerned. Last year with JabTak Hai Jaan,even Shah Rukh Khan put an end to his no-kissing policy!

A lot more intimate scenes now form a part of our cinema than earlier times. Why,even an inspirational biopic such as Bhaag Milkha Bhaag did not fight shy of showing the protagonist’s sporty exploits as well his amorous ones. Yet another example is Anand Gandhi’s art-house offering Ship of Theseus —there’s a fleeting nude shot of a male actor having a shower. That the film was released without moral collectives raising an eyebrow,is telling.

But the point really,is a greater permissiveness about Indian movies in general and Bollywood in particular. In some ways it’s a good thing— cringe-worthy bosom thrusts,or shots of flowers kissing,for most part are a thing of past. So far,so good but as in Hollywood,sooner or later that contentious question of ‘how much is too much’ is going to pop up because an adult certification makes a considerable dent in a film’s collections. Besides,erotica while it has an established market is unattractive for television networks that depend on cornering a critical mass of the family audience.

By virtue of being a more accessible medium,television has stricter strictures. So while cussing and swearing on reality shows has upped the ante on the swearing front,films with bold scenes are still not a popular choice. Film-makers’ excitement with the bold and beautiful cinema may continue for a bit,but it is just a matter of time when studios go back to drawing board and insist on films better suited for a family audience. Disney UTV has already been displaying a preference for wholesome family entertainment in its annual slate of releases as opposed to edgy films,and given their success this year,others are likely to follow suit.

After all,nothing is quite as seductive as a healthy profit.