The principal difference between American and Indian commercial cinema is that Indian films usually feature periodic song-and-dance routines which, in a good movie, are expected to move the story forward (in mediocre movies, they are poorly integrated into the story). The uniqueness of Indian Cinema is that songs in Indian films play a role. In generic films, they serve as fillers, often amusing distractions. In artistic commercial films, songs convey emotions and passions of the protagonist or of the situation - ranging from love and pathos to triumph and celebration. The lyrics in the latter type are usually well written and set to music with catchy tunes, that go on to become popular. Songs are sung by professional’s play-back singers and lip-synched by dancing actors and actresses. Most non-Indians would consider the ordinary Indian film a musical, but this would be a mistake. The music and song industry associated with Indian Cinema is a major contender in determining box office hits.Indian commercial films, in whatever regional centre they are made, tend to be long; they are usually two to three hours long, often with an intermission. They tend to be melodramatic, sentimental, and formulaic, but may also feature romance, comedy, action, suspense, and other generic elements. Unlike commercial Western films, there is almost no nudity at all in Indian films. Such scenes are classified as obscene in the Constitution of India and are usually removed by the Indian Censor Board.
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