I've been asked to deliver a speech this friday to a large group about
bollywood!  The evening is a classical bollywood night where there wil
be some performances of bollywood dance and music. as well as an
indian dinner.  the event will be for charity to raise money for the
pakistan earthquake appeal.  I have been brough in very last minute to
host and present the night and my busy schedule means i have no time
to prepare anything.  I was wondering if you could help?!

At the beginning of the night i will open the event by welcoming
everyone to the show and theanking them for their support.  I will
then.. before introducing the acts, give a very short introductory
talk about bollywood. (talking about both film and music) the aim of
this is to be not too long, snappy but also funny.  (not stand up
comedy) but nothing too serious, light hearted enough to get a few
chucles from the crowd!  I would like to give a very brief into into
what bollywood is, what it means today and how it has managed to
integrate so well from the east into western society.  i want to say
something about how bollywood is not just a film industry, but it has
become something for asian people to be proud of with its richness in
culture, colour, music and inspiration.  the introductory talk need
only be for approx 5-8 mins.  Please make it somewhat humerous bearing
in mind the audience will include people from all sorts of backgrounds
and cultures, so all  things said must be in good taste and non
offensive !!!

is it possible at all PLEASE to come up with something by thursday
27th october??  i would really apprecuate the help.

thanks

Scorpionic-ga,
Unless someone comes in with a speech for you, you might consider just
quoting from Wikipedia and the other site, with credits, of course.
I expect that if you are the kind of person they chose to rope in for
this, you are savvy enough to add a little humor:  by admitting your
last minute resorting to internet and Wikipedia; by choosing passages
that add a light touch, perhaps by bringing different items into
juxtaposition.  I was surprised on the second site to learn that
moving pictures arrived in India in the 1890s, for a bit of history.

From my own experience, Bollywood films are very stereotyped:  for a
Westerner, the plot seems to be a vehicle for the inevitable and often
unmotivated song and dance scenes (probably not a complaint to be
passed on).  Indians want more intertainment for their money, so the
films can be inordinately long by our standards, but cutting them
doesn't seem to ruin the continuity (was it nebulous before?).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bollywood

http://www.filmeducation.org/secondary/Earth/Bollywood.html

Oh yes, please be careful about differentiating between Pakistan and
India  - or maybe ignoring the matter entirely.  As you probably know,
India is a majority Hindu country and Pakistan is Islamic, that is why
they became two countries in 1947 when the British colony was
disbanded and they received independence.
So Bollywood films are not at all directly related to Pakistan, though
Wikipedia points out that they have a large public through out the
half-continent.

Good luck, Myoarin

Hmm  bollywood, at a Pakistani earthquake appeal?  the two dont really
mix. Pakistan has refused Indian helicopter aid because the chinooks
are flown by Indian military pilots.

However if you must go there, then a few comments on how indian
'bollywood' music has infiltrated the Euro-music scene in the form of
'Bhangra' wont go amiss.

****URGENT *****
Look, I am not trying to be funny about this - but are you sure you
have got this right...  Pakistan and India nearly went to war nuclear
stylee three years ago. Bollywood is Indian and a Pakistani audience
will NOT be impressed with a speech about Indian culture - it will
re-inforce some very ingrained cultural beliefs about how ignorant
western whiteys are. (I am a UK based western whitey incidentally).

A short talk on Pakistani integration into society, the cultural
significance of their introduction of food would be better recieved
together with a re-affirmation of their peaceful iamalgam of their
aspects of muslim religion.. but Bollywood...  no way, its a travesty.

Traducer is right, but if it is for a good cause, and it is, just take
our warnings to avoid or be tactful on the subject.  Yeah, I guess
that I might apologize for the lack of a Pakistani connect for the
evening, or maybe pick up on Traducer's reference to the refused
Indian assistance with a comment about the Indian theme for the
evening being known to be "off target".  Might talk to any Indidan or
Pakistani guests at the event before your talk to get their opinions
and perhaps temper your remarks accordingly.
Touchy matter, but if they attend  - either Indians or Pakistanis - 
they will already be aware that Bollywood is just an entertainment
theme for a well-intended  benefit dinner.

Wow guys talk about going wayyy too serious over the matter!!!!

My mothers the deputy mayor of the borough, and this event has been
planned at least 3 months ago, the night (Classical Bollywood Evening)
was a planned charity event to help various charities throughout the
borough including save the children and cancer research etc.  Im a
pakistani myself, and to be honest speaking from a european
perspective, bollywood effects the lives of muslims just as it does of
hindus.  we may have different religions, but these movies dont show
us religion, they show us culture, which lets face it, is almost
identical in both countries

the pakistan earthquake appeal was simply an appeal added for the
night as it is so important.  so rather than telling me what a
'travesty' this night will be, how about something positive!!!! thanks