The Beginner’s Guide to Bollywood (ft. Aditi Shandilya and Collin Gee)

Welcome back to Let's Talk Media! In this episode of the media analysis podcast, host Vedant Akhauri reunites with high school friends Aditi Shandilya and Collin Gee to dive into the vibrant, rapidly changing world of Bollywood. Because Aditi introduced Colin to Indian cinema when they first started dating, this episode serves as the perfect beginner's guide to understanding the genre. This conversation unpacks the industry's massive generational shift, its unrealistic tropes, and the best movies for non-familiar audiences to start with.In this episode, we discuss:A Beginner's Guide & Global Appeal: Aditi shares her experience growing up with Indian cinema, while Colin provides the ultimate newcomer's perspective on adapting to the singing and dancing. Vedant also reflects on his time at Ithaca College, noting how epic films like Baahubali have captured a massive international audience despite the language barrier.The Hollywoodification of Bollywood: We break down how Indian cinema has evolved over the last 20 years. The group debates whether the industry's shift away from dramatic overacting toward Western-style action and CGI (like in the movie War) is a good thing, or if it is creating a worrying trend of "bad Hollywood rip-offs" that lose the genre's authentic charm.3 Idiots and A Wednesday: The ultimate movie recommendations for new viewers. We praise Aamir Khan's 3 Idiots for its powerful message about the education system and learning how to truly learn. We also highly recommend A Wednesday - a dark, tension-filled thriller.Every Film (and Show) MentionedOm Shanti Om3 IdiotsChennai ExpressSholayDhadkanWar  (2019 film)Baahubali and Baahubali 2A WednesdayRustom (2016 film)Engineering Girls (Netflix series)If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating to be notified of future episodes. You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow the show on Instagram @letstalkmediava.Audio Remastered: June 8, 2028