The liberalization opened up new markets. The actor was inseparable from the character he was playing. For instance, the movies of Govinda followed very obvious clichés. A cursory look at the actors popular during their 90s will be enough to enlighten about the formulaic nature. This trend continued well into the 90s when the three Khans emerged. Similarly, Dilip Kumar was the tragic hero through movies like 'Devdas', 'Mughal-E-Azam' and 'Madhumati'. Amitabh Bachchan was the 'angry young man', the working class hero, fighting against the system and industrialists in movies like 'Zanjeer', 'Namak Haram', and 'Shakti', 'Deewar' etc. Its actors were associated with a certain persona which reflected in almost all of the movies that they were making. In the 70s, Bollywood’s content acquired a stubborn formulaic nature. Bombay Talkies, the studio started by Rani and her husband Himansu Rai, essentially solidified Bollywood by launching actors like Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, Raj Kapoor and Mumtaz. Whether through poignant movies critiquing untouchability like 'Acchut Kanya (1937)' or through experimental movies like 'Izzat' dealing with culture of honor, Rani's persona was defined by her willingness to take unconventional role.

This is evident through the work produced by the 'first lady' of Bollywood i.e.

Though a certain formulaic nature started emerging very early, the initial years were characterized by a remarkable spirit of experimentation. Bollywood Stars And Their Investments Abroad: From SRK, Salman To Akshay Kumar Read More

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