Ganda Hai Par Dhanda Hai Ye : Mumbai’s ‘C’ Grade Films

The Hindi film industry is mostly known for Big Budget films, Heavy-weight productions houses, Megastars and their starry tantrums and over-the-top scandals but what many fail to notice and at times even acknowledge is the bustling ‘C’ grade films market – in simple words the ‘Hindi’ Porn Films.

Mumbai Mirror reports:

The South used to generously churn out these mind-boggling films, until Mumbai decided it wanted its share of the easy profits as well. Think about it. Most of the budget is wisely invested in the heroine’s lingerie and whatever’s left goes into production. The script? Er, well the heroine can exercise and strip. Or she can cook and strip. Or? So many excuses to strip, such few films?

The male actors in the films are, well, disposable. Any man can do that job! The actresses earn more. Shakeela and Monalisa are the babes of the bosom brigade and rake in up to Rs 2-3 lakh per film. The newcomers earn Rs 5,000 per day.

Frankly speaking, never have I myself watched any of the desi-porn flicks for many valid reasons – they are shown in shoddy theatres in some shady nooks and corners of Mumbai city, they mostly appear to be tasteless and lastly, the leading actors can easily win the “Ugly Duckling” contest.

But I remember once having a chat with a well-known Bollywood Film Producer’s son over the rise in ‘C’ grade films in past couple of years and was shocked to hear from him that many well-known production houses also invest money in such films. Since the amount put-in is very less as compared to commercial Hindi films, the earnings are much more and the risk of failure is bare minimum.

Another aspect of this industry which I find is pretty disheartening; as the article points out that many young girls are encouraged by their family to be a part of such porn films. Obviously the reasons could be galore – need for money, stardom dreams, easy income, etc.

Kishan Shah, the Subhash Ghai of this industry says, “The parents of the girls are aware of the implications of entering this industry, they actually encourage them too. Unhein actress banne ka shauk hai. Unfortunately, prostitution and the casting couch are rampant in this industry. How do you think that Monalisa, a girl who earns Rs 2 lakh per movie and does five films a year, can maintain a house of Rs 60 lakhs and two cars worth Rs 10 lakh each?”

Not saying that Prostitution and Casting Couch doesnot take place in other affluent sections of the Hindi film industry but I guess it’s done more discreetly, plus the parties involved belong to much higher ranking and therefore can easily afford to hide-away behind the glittery showcase.

As for the censor board, well they are effortlessly made an owl.

The Censor Board passes them with an A Certificate, but usually they’re shown the ‘clean’ version. The ‘real’ reels are inserted later at the single-screen theatres and dingy video parlours. Raids and crackdowns have not proved to be entirely effective.

All in all, one can say that such people and such films exist because there is a huge demand for it. Just they way a popular Bollywood song goes “Ganda hai par dhanda hai ye”.

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