New Bollywood trend: Filmmakers go back in time

Old is gold and recreating the pre-independence era, the narrow lanes of Calcutta or Bombay on the silver screen has its own charm. The Indian film industry has come a long way with the increasing use of 3D cameras, VFX, intense special effects and realistic photo imaging but a new trend is on the rise in Bollywood. Several filmmakers are now digging the past or weaving it factiously to take the audience to a decade or a century back. With Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet being one of the many flicks based in the past, check out how the filmmakers are travelling back in time through the camera

Bombay Velvet
Anurag Kashap’s much talked-about film, Bombay Velvet is set in the 1960s. Starring Anushka Sharma as Rosie Noronha – a jazz singer and Ranbir Kapoor as Johnny Balraj - a street fighter, Bombay Velvet will introduce young Mumbaikars to the charms of old Bombay. As music director, Amit Trivedi weaves slides of the jazz era of Bollywood, Bombay Velvet promises to take the movie-goers half a century back.

Detective Byomkesh Bakshy

The Detective Byomkesh Bakshy trailer takes the audience to the bylanes of Kolkata in the 1940s. Sushant Singh Rajput is seen sporting vintage hairstyle and attire in the film which is set in the times of World War II. Vintage cars and old trams were brought back to the streets for the shooting of the film. In order to do complete justice to the screenplay, the makers have used VFX effects extensively to recreate the 1940s. Even the music is classic with little resemblance to the hit numbers we love humming these days.

Akshay Kumar’s next big flick, Airlift is set in Kuwait and Baghdad of the 1990s. Playing rich businessman, Ranjit Katyal, Akshay will be seen in a non-action role in the film which revolves around largest human evacuation of the world of moving 1,70,000 Indians from Kuwait to India via Aamman. Set in the Gulf War period, Airlift has been shot in Mumbai, Ras Al Khaimah and Bhuj to portray Kuwait of that era with perfection.

Ayushmann Khurrana seems to be the frontrunner in serving old wine in new bottle. The actor/singer went back in time again post Hawaizaada for Dum Laga Ke Haisha. The quirky small town story was based in the '90s when the music scenario changed with the advent of CDs. A school drop-out in the film, Ayushmann's character is a big fan of Kumar Sanu who ruled the era. Based in Haridwar, the film also showed a landline phone as mobile phones hadn't hit the country back then.

Ketan Mehta’s critically acclaimed film Rang Rasiya is based on the life of renowned painter, Raja Ravi Varma and is set in the 19th century. Randeep Hooda played the role of the painter who existed during the times of British Raj. He brought the Gods to life in his paintings. Not only this, the film also showed how the first printing press was set up by Ravi Varma and enabled the common man to take Gods to his household. The film took the audience to the pre-independence era with tongas, havelis, kingdoms and Britishers in co-existence.

Ayushmann Khurrana went more than 100 years back in time for Hawaizaada which was based on the life of scientist Shivkar Bapuji Talpade who is believed to have made India's first unmanned plane. Set in 1895, the film shows Ayushmann stepping into the shoes of scientist to make the first ever aircraft. With Britishers trying to stop him from creating any such wonder, the film is all about the trials and tribulations of the scientist.