Whipping Up a Storm

This chapter attempts to analyze spy films made in Bollywood over the last decade to estimate authenticity and the factors influencing the genre of movies. Moving from fiction toward fact, the chapter divides the films into three categories: the ones that fall in the Bond category, movies based on true events, and lastly, movies based on published works. An analysis of the three categories shows that the spy genre in Bollywood is a unique space trying to blend its masala characteristics—a combination of multiple genres into one—with spy stories. The examination below also highlights an evolving interest among the public and filmmakers in the spy genre, which could potentially move the genre toward greater realism.