Viki now has a selection of premium Indian videos, ranging from the Golden Age of Bollywood to the hottest new releases! Our extensive new library includes movies from top production houses like Balaji and Rajshri as well!
Feeling a little clueless about Bollywood? No worries, we’ve got you covered!
Wait … why IS it called Bollywood?
The term “Bollywood” was created by combining the words “Hollywood” and “Bombay” (now known as Mumbai). Hence, “Bollywood” was born!
Did Bollywood ever have a Golden Age like Hollywood?
But of course! The films produced between the 1940s and 1960s are regarded by film critics to be the most critically acclaimed cinematic period for Bollywood.
Alright, alright, that’s very nice and all, but who’s famous in Bollywood?
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| Shah Rukh Khan |
Shah Rukh Khan rose to fame with “Pardes,” later earning a nomination for Best Actor at Filmfare (the Hindi version of the Academy Awards), but he’s also ranked among the 50 most powerful people in the world by Newsweek. And if that’s not enough, Khan also earns more money than Tom Cruise and Johnny Depp! Say what?!
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| Aishwarya Rai |
Aishwarya Rai is heralded as one of the most beautiful women in the world, being nominated as Miss World in 1999. She also is well known for her humanitarian work, supporting causes to help fight HIV/AIDS, cruelty against animals and cleft palettes. On top of ALL of that, she’s a celebrated actress, starring in films such as “Khakee,” “Action Replayy” and “Taal.”
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| Amitabh Bachchan |
Amitabh Bachchan has won numerous acting awards for “Black” and starred in the Bollywood equivalent of “The Godfather,” known as “Sarkar.” Bachhan also has starred in the blockbuster hit “Shootout at Lokhandwala.” As added testament to Bachchan’s popularity, in 2000, he was the first living Asian to get a wax figure at the world famous Madame Tussaud’s London!
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| Dilip Kumar |
Reigning as one of the greatest actors from the Golden Age, Dilip Kumar can be viewed as one of Bollywood’s greatest. His films include “Karma” and “Saudagar,” and all of his hard work has paid off! Kumar holds a Guinness World Record for the most awards won by an Indian Actor. Talk about popularity!
Need some action in your life? Then try watching “Once Upon a Time in Mumbai,” which tells the tale of Sultan and his rise to power in the murky underbelly of Mumbai during the 1970s. This movie pays tribute to the golden age of Bollywood with some of Bollywood’s most popular stars — plus there’s a sequel if you want even more action! But if you need even more explosions, try “Shootout at Lokhandwala” — based on the true story of five criminals, 286 policemen and a six-hour standoff between them!
And once you’re done watching giant explosions and shootouts, try some more dramatic titles, such as “Shor in the City,” which tells three different stories in parallel about the challenges of surviving in the big city of Mumbai. Or try “Kahaani,” a story about a woman who comes to Mumbai to search for her missing husband but only finds dead-end clues.
Awesome! But with so many videos available, where should I start?
And once you’re done watching giant explosions and shootouts, try some more dramatic titles, such as “Shor in the City,” which tells three different stories in parallel about the challenges of surviving in the big city of Mumbai. Or try “Kahaani,” a story about a woman who comes to Mumbai to search for her missing husband but only finds dead-end clues.
Ready to branch out into Bollywood? Then let’s get watching!
Note: Subtitle creation is not available on Bollywood titles yet, but will be in a few weeks. Stay tuned and we'll let you know when the subtitling tools are ready for you to use!
Some titles on Viki are not available in certain regions of the world. But Qualified Contributors (QCs) can view and contribute to most titles. Read this blog post to learn how to become a QC.