Even if you've never actually seen a film from India, the word Bollywood immediately conjures up images of brightly colored productions featuring elaborately choreographed song and dance numbers, often with 100 orso dancers, and a boy-meets-girl story with a happy ending.

But what is the history of India's national cinema? How did it grow to become one of India’s most financially lucrative industries and the world leader in both the number of films produced each year as well as audience attendance?

The word Bollywood is a play on Hollywood, with the B coming from Bombay (now known as Mumbai), which is the center of the Indian film world. The word was coined in the 1970s by the writer of a magazine gossip column, though there is disagreement as to which journalist was the first to use it. However, Indian cinema dates all the way back to 1913 and the silent film Raja Harishchandra, the first-ever Indian feature film. Its producer, Dadasaheb Phalke, was Indian cinema’s first mogul, and he oversaw the production of 23 films between 1913 and 1918. Yet unlike Hollywood, initial growth in the industry was slow.

Era's of Bollywood

1.

The Golden Era 1947-1962

Two films were released in Bombay on Independence Day: Shehnai and Mera Geet. While the latter vanished from theatres and memory in no time, the PL Santoshi-directed Shehnai from Filmistan Studio became a huge success. The story of four spirited, independent young girls, it had racy, hummable songs (we still remember Aana Meri Jaan Meri Jaan Sunday Ke Sunday) and a happy energy that was in tune with the euphoria of that historic moment.

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2.

Sounds of Music 1962-1977

These were phenomenal, action-packed years in the history of Hindi cinema, crowded with films cutting across styles, themes and genres. New trends arrived, settled or faded away, and films moved ahead in fresh, exciting directions.

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3.

The Dark years 1977-1992

It was around 1947 that the industry went through significant changes. One could argue that it was during this time that the modern Indian film was born. The historical and mythological stories of the

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4.

New found Love 1992-2007

80s and 90s brought back into spotlight musicals, family-centric romantic storylines, comedies and stunt-based action films. Art films also strived, especially after release of Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya (1998), that k

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5.

A new Chapter 2007-2022

In the new millennia, Bollywood finally managed to reach outside of India and land in the West. Many of their lavish productions received significant box office success all around the world, especially after

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