49 Fun Facts About Bollywood

The word 'Bollywood' is a blend of 'Hollywood' and the former name of which Indian city?

Bollywood blends Hollywood with Bombay, the Hindi film industry's home city; Bombay was officially renamed in 1995, but the portmanteau, in use since the 1970s, stuck.

Which 1913 silent film is regarded as India's first full-length feature?

Raja Harishchandra, a silent telling of a truthful king's ordeal released on 3 May 1913, is counted as India's first full-length feature; its maker spent two weeks in London in 1912 learning the craft.

India's highest award in cinema is named after which pioneer?

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award, instituted in 1969 and first given to Devika Rani, honours the 'father of Indian cinema', who made around 95 features and 27 shorts between 1913 and 1937, including Mohini Bhasmasur and Lanka Dahan.

Which 1931 film was India's first with sound?

Alam Ara, released on 14 March 1931 at the Majestic Cinema, was India's first talkie; director Ardeshir Irani took his cue from the 1929 American part-talkie Show Boat, and the film's seven songs began the Hindi film-music tradition.

Which 1943 film was Indian cinema's first 'blockbuster', crossing one crore rupees at the box office?

Kismet (1943), with Ashok Kumar as a pickpocket, was the first Indian film to gross a crore of rupees, running over three years at Calcutta's Roxy cinema; its song 'Door Hato Ae Duniya Walo' slipped anti-British feeling past the censors.

Which 1957 epic was the country's first Oscar submission and made the final five for the foreign-language prize?

Mother India (1957), with Nargis as the village mother Radha, was India's first Oscar submission and made the final five, losing to Fellini's Nights of Cabiria; Sunil Dutt married Nargis after rescuing her from a fire on set.

Mughal-e-Azam (1960) tells the love story of Prince Salim and which courtesan?

Anarkali, played by Madhubala, is the court dancer whose romance with Prince Salim (Dilip Kumar) defies Emperor Akbar; the film stayed India's top grosser for 15 years, and its 'Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya' sequence was shot in Technicolor.

Which 1951 Raj Kapoor film and its title song became a sensation in the Soviet Union?

Awaara (1951), with Raj Kapoor as a Chaplinesque tramp opposite Nargis, was a phenomenon in the Soviet Union, where 'Awaara Hoon' was sung in the streets and the film drew tens of millions of admissions.

Which 1959 Guru Dutt film was the first Indian production shot in CinemaScope?

Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), about a director's decline, was the first Indian film shot in CinemaScope; it flopped so badly that Guru Dutt never officially directed again, though critics later reappraised it as a classic.

Which 1975 film's dacoit villain Gabbar Singh terrorises the village of Ramgarh?

Danny Denzongpa was first choice for Gabbar but was busy; Amjad Khan prepared for the role by reading a book about Chambal bandits.

Which 1972 Kamal Amrohi film starred Meena Kumari as the courtesan Sahibjaan, weeks before her death?

Pakeezah, Kamal Amrohi's long-gestating Muslim social, has Meena Kumari as the courtesan Sahibjaan; it opened on 4 February 1972 and she died of cirrhosis that March, turning the film into a box-office phenomenon.

Which 1973 film established Amitabh Bachchan as Bollywood's 'angry young man'?

Zanjeer (1973), directed by Prakash Mehra, cast Amitabh Bachchan as the brooding Inspector Vijay after a string of flops, and the 'angry young man' persona it created carried him through the 1970s.

Which show, India's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, did Amitabh Bachchan first host in 2000?

Kaun Banega Crorepati, Hindi for 'Who will become a crorepati?', launched on Star Plus in 2000 with Amitabh Bachchan as host; he fronted the show for more than two decades, with only the 2007 season hosted by Shah Rukh Khan.

Which theatre became famous for running Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge for over twenty years?

Maratha Mandir in Mumbai Central began screening Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge on its release in October 1995 and passed 1,000 weeks in December 2014, the longest run of any Indian film; it was Aditya Chopra's directing debut.

Which pair of characters do Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol play in DDLJ?

Shah Rukh Khan plays Raj Malhotra and Kajol plays Simran Singh in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, a romance between two NRIs who meet on a European rail trip before Raj follows her to Punjab to win her father over.

Which sport is at the centre of Lagaan (2001)?

In Lagaan, villagers led by Aamir Khan's Bhuvan stake three years' land tax on a cricket match against the British garrison in 1893; Aamir Khan was initially sceptical about starring in a sports film.

Lagaan was nominated for which Oscar?

Lagaan was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2002 Academy Awards, only the third Indian film ever nominated in the category, and lost to Bosnia's No Man's Land.

Which nickname does the media give Aamir Khan?

Aamir Khan is the media's 'Mr. Perfectionist' for his reputation for obsessive preparation, such as the year-long physical build-up for Ghajini; King Khan is Shah Rukh, Bhai is Salman and Big B is Amitabh Bachchan.

Which two 1993 villain roles first made Shah Rukh Khan famous?

In one he murders his girlfriend, in the other he is an obsessive stalker; the roles broke the rule that a hero must be a hero.

Which IPL team does Shah Rukh Khan co-own?

Shah Rukh Khan bought the Kolkata Knight Riders with Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta at the IPL's 2008 franchise auction; the team won the title in 2012, 2014 and 2024, and the group also owns the Trinbago Knight Riders.

Which 1989 film gave Salman Khan his breakthrough leading role?

Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), Sooraj Barjatya's romance with Bhagyashree, was Salman Khan's first lead and won him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut; Biwi Ho To Aisi a year earlier had been a supporting part.

Which reality show did Salman Khan begin hosting in 2010?

Bigg Boss, the Indian version of Big Brother, had Salman Khan as host from its fourth season in 2010, after Arshad Warsi, Shilpa Shetty and Amitabh Bachchan had fronted the first three.

Lata Mangeshkar became only the second singer to receive which honour, India's highest civilian award?

Lata Mangeshkar received the Bharat Ratna in 2001, after M. S. Subbulakshmi in 1998 became the first singer so honoured; Lata recorded film songs in dozens of languages across seven decades.

Which playback singer replaced her older sister Lata as Guinness's most recorded artist?

Asha Bhosle was acknowledged by Guinness World Records in 2011 as the most recorded artist in music history, credited with over 11,000 songs; she and Lata were two of the five musical Mangeshkar siblings.

A. R. Rahman won two Academy Awards for the music of which 2008 film?

A. R. Rahman won Best Original Score and, with lyricist Gulzar, Best Original Song for 'Jai Ho' at the 2009 Oscars for Slumdog Millionaire; his film career had begun with the Tamil film Roja in 1992.

How many Oscars did Danny Boyle's 2008 Mumbai-set film win in 2009?

Danny Boyle's film won eight of its ten nominations at the 2009 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and both of A. R. Rahman's music awards; co-director Loveleen Tandan called it a homage to Hindi cinema.

The Filmfare Awards began in 1954 under what original name?

The first Filmfare Awards in 1954 were called the Clares, after Times of India film critic Clare Mendonca; Gregory Peck was invited as guest of honour but his flight from Colombo was delayed.

Which 1988 film, with the song 'Ek Do Teen', made Madhuri Dixit a star?

Tezaab (1988), N. Chandra's action drama, has Mohini forced by her father to dance for money; 'Ek Do Teen', choreographed by Saroj Khan, made its heroine a star opposite Anil Kapoor.

Deepika Padukone is the daughter of a champion in which sport?

Deepika Padukone's father Prakash Padukone won the 1980 All England badminton championship; she was born in Copenhagen, played badminton at national level as a teenager, then turned to modelling before her 2007 debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan.

Which beauty pageant did Priyanka Chopra win in 2000 before entering films?

Priyanka Chopra was crowned Miss World 2000 in London, the same year Lara Dutta won Miss Universe; her acting debut came in the 2002 Tamil film Thamizhan, before her Bollywood debut in The Hero in 2003.

Which 2016 film about the wrestling Phogat sisters became the highest-grossing Indian film ever?

Dangal (2016) cast Aamir Khan as Mahavir Singh Phogat, who trained his daughters Geeta and Babita to wrestle; helped by a huge run in China, it grossed around ₹2,000 crore worldwide, the most of any Indian film at the time.

3 Idiots (2009) is loosely adapted from which Chetan Bhagat novel?

3 Idiots is loosely based on Chetan Bhagat's 2004 debut novel Five Point Someone, about three IIT students; Bhagat and the makers publicly fell out over how little credit the adaptation gave the book.

Which 2007 Farah Khan film reincarnates Shah Rukh Khan's 1970s film extra as a superstar?

Om Shanti Om (2007), directed and choreographed by Farah Khan, has Shah Rukh Khan's junior artist Om Prakash Makhija die in a 1977 studio fire and return thirty years later as star Om Kapoor; it was Deepika Padukone's Hindi debut.

Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017), a huge hit across India, was originally made in which language?

Baahubali 2: The Conclusion was made in Telugu by S. S. Rajamouli of the Hyderabad-based industry; its Hindi dub alone grossed over ₹500 crore, and the film opened on around 9,000 screens worldwide.

In Indian cinema, what is an 'item number'?

The performer, often a rising star, is called an item girl; the songs are used heavily in promotion.

Which production house did the director of Deewaar and Kabhi Kabhie found in 1970?

Yash Raj Films was founded by Yash Chopra in 1970, its first release being Daag in 1973 and Kabhi Kabhie following in 1976; Yash Chopra's son Aditya took over the company after his father's death in 2012.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) was the directing debut of which future Dharma Productions head?

Karan Johar directed Kuch Kuch Hota Hai at 26 after assisting Aditya Chopra on DDLJ; his father Yash Johar had founded Dharma Productions in 1976, and Karan took charge of it after Yash's death in 2004.

Who was the first member of Bollywood's most famous four-generation acting dynasty to act in films?

Prithviraj Kapoor began in silent films in 1928, founded Prithvi Theatres in 1944 and played Emperor Akbar in Mughal-e-Azam; his sons Raj, Shammi and Shashi all followed him into the industry.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas (2002) starred Shah Rukh Khan alongside which two actresses?

Aishwarya Rai played Paro and Madhuri Dixit played the courtesan Chandramukhi opposite Shah Rukh Khan's Devdas; at around ₹50 crore it was then the most expensive Indian film, and it screened out of competition at Cannes in 2002.

Which 2011 road movie follows three friends on a bachelor trip across Spain?

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), directed by Zoya Akhtar, sends Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol through the Tomatina, skydiving and Pamplona's bull run; Indian tourism to Spain rose sharply after its release.

Which 1957 Guru Dutt film about a failed poet made Time magazine's All-Time 100 Movies list?

Pyaasa (1957) stars Guru Dutt as Vijay, a poet ignored until he is presumed dead, with Waheeda Rehman as the prostitute Gulabo; Time magazine placed it on its 2005 All-Time 100 Movies list.

Which 2023 Shah Rukh Khan comeback film, released on Republic Day weekend, grossed over 1,000 crore worldwide?

Pathaan, released on 25 January 2023 after Shah Rukh Khan's four-year absence from lead roles, grossed over ₹1,000 crore worldwide; Jawan followed in September and also crossed ₹1,000 crore.

Who composed the score of Mughal-e-Azam (1960), including 'Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya'?

Naushad composed Mughal-e-Azam's score, having Lata Mangeshkar sing 'Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya' and persuading classical maestro Bade Ghulam Ali Khan to record two pieces for the film; he had scored Baiju Bawra in 1952.

Who directed Lagaan (2001) and later Jodhaa Akbar (2008)?

Ashutosh Gowariker, a former actor, directed Lagaan (2001), then Swades (2004) and the Mughal romance Jodhaa Akbar (2008) with Hrithik Roshan as Akbar.

What phrase, literally meaning 'money's worth', do Indian audiences use for a good film?

Paisa vasool, literally 'money recovered', is the verdict on a film that repays the ticket price with songs, dances, love triangles, comedy and thrills, the classic masala recipe; vasool means recovery of a debt.

Which screenwriting duo launched the 'angry young man' genre in the early 1970s?

Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar's gritty Bombay underworld scripts revitalised an industry that had gone stale on musical romances.

Which 1950s star modelled his suave screen persona on Gregory Peck and Cary Grant?

Dev Anand, the third of the 1950s 'big three' with Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar, cultivated a Gregory Peck-style suavity with tilted hat and rapid delivery; Kapoor borrowed Chaplin's tramp and Kumar pioneered a brand of method acting.

Which 1952 Mehboob Khan film was the first Indian release to win mainstream attention in the West?

Aan (1952), Mehboob Khan's colour swashbuckler with Dilip Kumar and Nimmi, was released in Britain as Savage Princess; subtitled in 17 languages and shown in 28 countries, it drew praise from British critics.

Which Hindi social-realist film shared the Grand Prix at the very first Cannes festival in 1946?

Neecha Nagar, a 1946 drama of rich and poor with music by Ravi Shankar, shared the Grand Prix at the first Cannes festival with ten other films, the award later renamed the Palme d'Or.