Bollywood began over a century ago with silent mythological films. Raja Harishchandra (1913) marked the birth of Indian feature cinema.
It's a formula that continues to evolve. From the classical dances of yesteryear to the modern, high-energy "item songs," Bollywood has continually adapted its musical language to the pulse of the times.
Music is integral to the narrative, with soundtracks often released well before the film to build anticipation.
: Bollywood consistently produces between 300 and 400 Hindi films a year, contributing to an overall Indian output that reached 1,525 feature films by December 2025.