Download or read book When Bollywood Met Bolshevism written by Matthew Perry Luby and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Indian films were wildly successful in the Soviet Union and some Indian stars even became celebrities in the communist state. Though Indian films have achieved popularity in foreign markets, their success has often been driven by the presence of a large South Asian community or a strong historical connection with India. The USSR largely lacked both drivers and had a state ideology opposed to some typical Indian film themes. It seems that Indian films were able to succeed in this climate by appealing to both Soviet officials and common people. For officials, importing Indian films presented a chance to strengthen the Indo-Soviet relationship by teaching the Soviet public about India, while the films also included some Marxist themes. For common people, the Soviet film industry created a niche market for the romance, escapism and eroticism provided by Indian films, some of which made direct appeals to Soviet viewers.