Why do people sing and dance around in Bollywood films? How is Bollywood masala different from Hollywood cinema? What are the distinct features of Indian cinema? This course provides a historical and critical understanding of these questions. By looking at various cinematic cultures in Bollywood and other Indian film industries, we will study how cinema as an art form and a medium of entertainment has evolved during the last one hundred years. We will also specifically study the characteristics of Bollywood genres like social melodrama, musicals, horror and action. Our discussions will be supplemented with screenings of a number of Bollywood blockbusters and a few lesser-known films.