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Orginally posted by Smiley

Guess, I am pretty happy and contented in North America for this "JANAM".

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Same here...hopefully the visions of people like me, gotham etc will materialise and it will be 'cool' to be 'desi' wherever you are...even in NA.

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Orginally posted by jake3d

However, when you look at Americas status as a superpower...it is not fully based on military might. Its military and institutions actually safeguard and sustain its business interests. One of its biggest exports is...the American dream...lifestyle and culture...be it clothing, films, music and even the burger . Its films alone market every product they have...or would like to. Americas ability to market and project its culture across borders is incredible...look at the economic benefits they enjoy in doing this. They are not a super power ONLY because of their military. That status...like you say would be temporary.

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Oh yeah, the culture export is a huge thing and Hollywood's contribution to America's superpower status is immense. However, Hollywood packages and sells pure Americana. Its a fast evolving culture born out of sheer inventiveness.

Bollywood unfortunately mostly relies on copying. If I take a cross-section of the majority of movies today, I'd be hard-pressed to find "cool" Indian culture packaged. Rather, the word "cool" is defined by how American your philosophy is. You have to split hairs to find originality.

And without this originality, I don't believe India will ever "rule the world". Will the merits of originality imprint themselves on the Indian psyche some day? Sure. They probably already have. But the lack of any legal infrastructure to trademark and patent your inventions will kill them in infancy. And we get into a true recursive loop once we start thinking about ways to fix the legal system. There are just so many issues confronting India at a primitive level, I don't see any solutions in the near future that would spurt super-power status. But then, it could be my lack of vision. We'll just have to wait and see.

(Btw, this lack of originality is also the same reason I believe China in its present condition will never be a true super-power. It will be a powerful country but it will never "rule the world" like America or Rome have)

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Orginally posted by BlueLobster

Bollywood unfortunately mostly relies on copying. If I take a cross-section of the majority of movies today, I'd be hard-pressed to find "cool" Indian culture packaged. Rather, the word "cool" is defined by how American your philosophy is. You have to split hairs to find originality.

And without this originality, I don't believe India will ever \"rule the world\". Will the merits of originality imprint themselves on the Indian psyche some day? Sure. They probably already have. But the lack of any legal infrastructure to trademark and patent your inventions will kill them in infancy. And we get into a true recursive loop once we start thinking about ways to fix the legal system. .

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Totally agree with you...we have to redifine 'cool' to include the indian context...this is why I think that most of the impetus to bring about this change lies in people who CAN understand the western mindset AND eastern culture. Also the ones who also have access to the legal infrastructure. This can mostly be found in the Indian diaspora in the world.

Truthfully, I really could not care less about India ruling the world(though projection of culture is an important part of that angle). However, I do believe that we have, in our culture, great stories needing to be told to everyone in the world. 'Mahabharat' can be much cooler than 'lord of the rings'. What about the stories of 'vikram and betaal'?Why do we need spiderman and superman when we have Arjun and Hanuman? Now if only we can convince our own kids(and the rest of the world) that Arjun and Hanuman are 'cooler'. Once we know that it has to be done...it is a matter of trial and error before we get it right. The good news is that a few of us recognise that it CAN be done. How is what we are trying to figure out.

Anyways..now that we have had this small exchange...I think reading through Gothams concluding statements make some more sense. There are huge rewards for those who can follow through:

"But only if we embrace the qualities that make our culture so powerfully dynamic - it's colour, pageantry, rich history, spiritual legacy, religious, cultural, and racial diversity and tolerance while acknowledging and always addressing the shadow of our own inequities (religious polarity, social delineation, corruption, and environmental to name a few) for they will never fully go away.

I, for one, am excited about the opportunity that lies ahead, to be a part of the army that is already marching. For it is a challenge and a privilege to be working along the "cross-over" frontier. Not Hollywood ... not Bollywood ... but a landscape that fuses both traditions and forges a bold, new complexion for a world in dire need of new direction.

It's not easy. It requires our collective effort and support. It requires creativity, imagination, and as always, financial backing!

And it's already happening. Just remember, as they say, Rome...I mean Rajasthan...wasn't built in a day. "

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Orginally posted by jake3d

'Mahabharat' can be much cooler than 'lord of the rings'.

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With you all the way on this one. A mega budget Mahabarat like the LOTR series would floor the whole planet.

Can't wait till this arrives.