Outlook’s cinema special (June 4) is beautifully done. The golden era of Indian films is worth remembering, especially as a tribute to the people who worked and brought us classic films like Raja Harischandra and Alam Ara. Congratulations to the Outlook team for bringing out a brilliant issue.
Purushottam C. Bafna, Gokak, Karnataka
Your cinema special ostensibly celebrates the last 100 years of cinema, but the post ’90s era was conspicuous by its absence. The issue amounted to over 100 pages of incessant nostalgia. I admit the luminosity of the cinema of yesteryear, but why ignore present-day cinema, which has minimal overacting and more realism? Touching upon the bolder, brasher cinema of today would have been nice, as would have been something on 3D. Trust me, too much nostalgia is boring for 16-year-olds.
Sriram Kumar, on e-mail
Apropos Mukul Kesavan’s piece Attitude Bollytude, what Bollywood really needs to do is get over the craze for ‘white skin’. It’s demeaning, racist and gives our kids a complex. We need a ‘Brown is Beautiful’ movement.
K. Madhu, Hyderabad
For god’s sake Outlook, stop being apologetic about ‘out of sync’ Bollywood. This only emboldens the industry to make more stupid films.
Ayoung Konyak, Kohima
The star system is the problem. You can’t say much about an industry where the actor is more important than the character he essays.
B.V.G. Rao, Warangal
Bollywood packs old wine in new bottles while Hollywood does the opposite—packs new wine in old bottles.
Sharath, Bangalore
It’s strange but true, Bollywood is bringing us together as a nation. What else can explain a Malayalam novel getting a Hindi script and being applauded by a Punjabi audience?
V.N.K. Murti, Pattambi
