Music of South Asia: Indian popular music

 

Integration of movie and pop music industries

About 750 movies released per year; nearly all of them are musicals.

100 million people per week attend movie houses.

Film music accounts for over 80% of all record sales.

 

Factory system of production

Assembly line of directors, actors, composers and singers.

Musicals employ a wide variety of music (Indian, Western pop, Latin, etc.)

Playback singers:

off-camera talent who sing songs to be lip-synced by on-screen stars

 

Changes in India due to movie musicals

Replacing traditional forms of theater throughout India.

Depicting the dream of city life and promoting urban migration.

Legitimizing women’s roles in entertainment.

 

CD Example 21. Indian Film Music – Prema Rudaayade (“Loving Hearts”)