Bollywood

noun

Bol·​ly·​wood ˈbä-lē-ˌwu̇d How to pronounce Bollywood (audio)
: the motion-picture industry in India

Examples of Bollywood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Recommended The new releases reflect a broader shift in Indian cinema over the past decade, one that some critics say has transformed Bollywood into an extension of the prime minister’s PR machine. Sushmita Pathak, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Apr. 2024 Some signature items include the Bollywood tacos, made with Indian flatbread and piled with chicken, rice, lettuce, pico de gallo and avocado. Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 5 Apr. 2024 Patel’s good intentions may be obscured by novice storytelling and last-minute studio measures, but at a time when Indian industries like Bollywood increasingly toe the party line, Monkey Man is buoyed by enough political gusto to still ruffle a few feathers. Siddhant Adlakha, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024 Regional is Indian shorthand for films that are not made in the Hindi-language Bollywood industry. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024 Old friends, new robots and a touch of Bollywood will be in the center ring at the 2024 Milwaukee Film Festival. Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2024 The nearly 1,200-person guest list included Rihanna as well as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Sunder Picha, Ivanka Trump and Bollywood celebrity Shah Rukh Khan, according to the Associated Press. Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 24 Mar. 2024 Since its opening in the north Indian city of Ayodhya, several Bollywood stars have visited the site. Sakshi Venkatraman, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2024 Top Bollywood star Ajay Devgn‘s Indian visual effects studio NY VFXWaala has set a strategic partnership with Sweden’s Goodbye Kansas Studio. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Bollywood.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Bombay (Mumbai), traditional center of the Indian film industry + Hollywood

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Bollywood was in 1969

Dictionary Entries Near Bollywood

Cite this Entry

“Bollywood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Bollywood. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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