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Fantasy, Hollywood and its Contender


The link between fantasy and Hollywood is absolute. Decade after decade West comes up with more films from the genre to add to their pile of classics. The credit for this lies in their rich heritage of fantasy literature. Authors from different ages have created worlds that are magical, fantastical, and magnificent beyond measure. These worlds have friendly beasts, historical magic schools, fellowships, and even scissorhands. There seems no end, which means it only gets better.
The credit for this diverse history of fantasy does not lie in just the hands of literature. In cinematography, the vision is of utmost importance. Not every novel that is a good read turns out to be a good watch, for example, Percy Jackson. The fantasy novel series has been a classic for years, yet when directors tried their luck and converted the books to movies, they failed. So, as a whole, both literature and cinema in the west have worked together to shape the genre of fantasy.

Hollywood and its contender

When compared with the other cinema giant, Bollywood, Hollywood shines. Just like Hollywood, Bollywood too has a considerable amount of picks in this genre, the only difference is in the quality. Bollywood fantasy films have suffered to find a place for fantasy in India. After numerous attempts, India still does not have a fantasy film that may have gathered global recognition. 
Part of this can be blamed upon the lack of fantasy literature in India. The monopoly over publication is not a new topic of discussion. The other reason behind this lagging genre is a mix between lazy screenwriting and unwillingness to experiment. 
Bollywood has, year after year, created films along the tried and tested route of cinematography. The unsuccessful fantasy films kept on piling up as filmmakers stuck to similar patterns and refused to experiment. Even when they tried creating a fantasy, they picked up cues from the West. As advanced as the West is, India is decades behind when it comes to cinema technology. Instead of picking up their willingness to experiment, Indian filmmakers copy plots, even direct films scene to scene from a Hollywood classic. 
It's very simple. Not everything that works in the west is bound to work here. The audience is different. The people of this country are different. India is a land of history, mystery, and traditions. There are a plethora of story ideas, myths, and legends to create fantasy after fantasy, that too of top quality. 

Fantasy, Hollywood and its Contender: Final Words

Many will say that fantasy will never find a home in Bollywood. I agree to disagree. Indian cinema has proved that it is capable of creating quality content through films and TV series like Tumbbad, Sacred Games, and Paatal Lok.
Hollywood has always had the advantage of having a strong literary fantasy background, making it a strong contender. The trek to reach quality fantasy content in India seems much too long, yet with a vision, willingness to experiment, and the right approach, it seems quite doable.

About the Author

Sharon is a full-time writer and part-time coffee tester and dog petter. She is often found reading fiction and obsessing over dogs. Sharon currently works as the content head at Binge Mad, a TV, Movies, and Books blog

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