The Japanese have taken a keen interest in Bollywood. It is not unusual for Japanese females to travel all of the way to India in order to study Bollywood dance.
Indian films have played a significant role in promoting this tendency. Well with release of Rajinikanth’s ‘Muthu – The Dancing Maharajah’ in 1998, Movie began to gain popularity in the nation. The film was a big hit, opening the door for more Indian films to follow.
Indian movies have long been seen as kitschy in Japan, with characters who start singing and dancing for no apparent reason. However, as Bollywood films become progressively great storytellers, this image is changing. However, many Japanese ladies are drawn to the genre because of the large-scale dancing sequences.
Young ladies began by learning a few Bollywood movements as a hobby, but shortly after, some of them began performing in nightclubs, pubs, and even at Indian community gatherings. This figure has risen to over 4,000 Japanese women in recent years. A few people have been known to take time from work to study in India. They have the option of pursuing a second profession as dancers whenever they return.
Japanese females have been heavily inspired by visiting Indian artists, according to a performer who learnt Bollywood dance in India and now performs and teaches the dance style in Japan. Dancing is considered as a talent that can be learned in a matter of weeks or months, allowing them to return and perform. People are encouraged to learn after seeing their performances.
The fact that India is deemed inexpensive by most visitors is a major element in Bollywood’s rising appeal in Japan. Furthermore, studying the dance form is not prohibitively expensive. Japanese females are becoming increasingly interested in Bollywood and Indian dance.
Many learn Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, and Odissi, among some other dance disciplines, in addition to Bollywood.
Bollywood’s popularity is so widespread that marketing agencies are attempting to capitalise on it. It is increasingly normal for boys and girls to sell curry-flavored rice crackers and other items with images of Indian superstars emblazoned on them. Cartoons or photographs linked with Indian cinema and dancing are frequently used on packaging for spicy foods.
One interesting topic is why Indian dance is primarily performed by Japanese but not by Indians. Other than those explicitly invited for embassy activities, it is tough and challenging for Indian artists to perform in Japan.
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