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Culture & Entertainment

The films, songs, dances and books that Desi households actually consume — and the vocabulary you need to follow a conversation about any of them.

A vintage single-screen Indian cinema at night with hand-painted film posters and neon lettering — India makes more films a year than any other country. (AI-generated image)

BollywoodWhat it is, and what it isn't Regional cinemaTollywood, Kollywood and the rest Film musicPlayback singing and why songs matter Classical musicHindustani and Carnatic Classical danceThe eight recognised forms Folk danceBhangra, garba, dhimsa and more TV serialsThe genre that runs the evening ComedyStand-up, sketch and the internet BooksWhere to start with South Asian writing

Last updated: 2026-08-11

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