1. Does Indian Cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it

Cinema is mirror of society through which society can see itself of reflect/exhibit its own picture to external world.

Culture is a blanket which covers the society and weaved by the threads of materialistic attributes like clothing ,food habits,house city architecture and abstract attributes like social norms/values/customs/beliefs.Cinema is capable in reflecting the reality of society through schematisation and polarized themes(moral,economic or political) which is not easily perceived by masses or ignored at large .

Cinema not only characterize the reality of society but also helps to evaluate the existing social norms/values/customs/beliefs to built a capacity in the society for self analysis and thus supports it for self modification/correction(new shape). 

We heard a number of Hollywood inspire suffixes like Tollywood, Kollywood, Mollywood, Gollywood and Pollywood which are examples of various regional cinemas in India.Though India cinema cover all these forms of regional cinema but Bollywood that many people consider synonymous with Indian Cinema because of its large territorial extent and inter regional character.

Indian cinema have credit of release of maximum number of movies in the world.

Indian cinema reflect the popular culture of India in a melodramatic effect .By melodrama we means portrayal of extreme situations and actions ,overt villainy,persecution of good and final reward of virtues.

its extravagant expression that the world is governed by a moral order which is also central theme of Indian cultural philosophy that is 'Dharm ki hamesha jeet hoti hai'

our debate is to find out the intensity of cinemas impact for shaping the culture not to prove cinema's role in society which is already established.

First we divide the cinema into two parts regional and inter regional cinema (national broadly).Regional cinema mostly target the audience having regional and parochial outlook .so its display is also exhibit the values of a particular region.this type of cinema merely depict the deep entrenched social values of particular region and hardly try to introduce any theme contradicting to existing values.But whenever there is sense of change is probable and a passive acceptance ready to convert in overt admission ,cinema takes the lead particularly regional because of its deep understanding of culture of  concerned society.

Bollywood is watched throughout the India at large so it can better play the role of shaper of popular culture.Due to Bollywood's cultural intermingling role Bangra and Dandia are danced throughout India.Bollywood also inspired from Hollywood  or other international Cinema.It depicts the ultra modern values as central theme like mega city culture of lavish life ,cosmopolitan culture of individualism ,live-in partnerships ,homosexuality etc.this type of characterization have accountable impact on Indian youth.

Prime Minister Nehru who once stated, "...the influence in India of films is greater than newspapers and books combined.Cinema has become powerful vehicle for culture ,education,leisure and propaganda.cinema is wholly unique form of art where visual stimulation make you emotionally stable with leisure and entertainment. Highly accessible social art form, Cinema generally cuts across economic lines. At the same time, attending the cinema allows for the exercise of personal preferences and the human need for distinction.that is why its impact is much broader,deep and durable than other art forms.

For last more than 100 years Cinema has been shaping and reflecting Indian culture.Both culture and cinema influence each other .Cinema has been changing int its ethical motif with the changing conditions (Socio-politico and economic) and values of culture.

Culture and cinema communicate bidirectionally that is why cinema is always relevant and depicts the social reality through which it has been so popular among masses.

Let us have a look over changing portrayal of values by Cinema.

Before Independence:

Mythology and Strong Women were Dominant themes(Because of crisis of masculinity in political dominance-Ashis Nandy)

After Independence :

Three Themes parallels occupied the cinema,first the State Emblem(Courtroom portrayal); second,Rural Urban debate under confusion of what is modernisation ;third,East-West cultural Debate.Rajkapoor's movies showed the darkness of city life by Barsaat ki raat ,Awara and Sree 420.Manoj Kumar reinforced superiority of eastern culture and took Farmer and Fauji as central character to depict loyalty towards nation.Mother India prioritised the community life above any relation which was also the message of patriotism.Afterwards Diwar ,Agneepath were inspired from shattered dream of socialism and equality and showed how dominant class exploiting the masses and immune to social culpability.

1980's theme:

Ek duje ke liye,Love story and Qyamant se Qayamat tak tried to challange established values(regional,religious or class differences) in starting of liberal era.

After liberalistaion:

1. Disenchantmant with politics of urban middle particulary beacouse of their raised awareness and aspiration(Shool,Satya and Rang de Basanti) formerly personal values of politician targeted not of their being politician.

2. Celebration of business class(formely despised by masses)-Guru,Baazigar,Hum Aapke hain Kaun

3. Individual aspiration after state withdrawl and opening of economy(Bunty aur babli,Guru,3 Idiots)

4. Illegality considered as enterprise(Banty aur babli,Dhoom-2,Kaminey,Jannat)

5. Show off of India's spending power(Zindagi na Milegi Dobara,Ye Jawani hai Diwani) but portrayed loosened interpersonal bonds not as Sangam and Lalkaar depicted)

we should include here the Debate between commercial and art or parallel cinema.How can we use cinema for betterment of society and avoid sensationalism in cinema.Censor ship should work but society must be more tolerant. we can cite some recent examples of kamal haasan movie and shahrukh khan's or Aarakshan. 

At last Cinema is itself a part of culture like no marriage is complete without dancing on Bollywood songs.Our rituals includes playing of Bollywood made Aarati song..Electoral campaigning is done by patriot theme based songs..Disco culture though borrowed from west heavily dependent on latest Bollywood songs.