I am glad to read at least two very well-written articles, Bollywood: enter flesh and coloured contact lenses and Bollywood aims to seduce the world that are critical of Bollywood.

While everyone has the right to enjoy entertainment that is not harmful to others, everyone also has the right to evaluate all forms of entertainment produced by the mass media. Let me share my perspective.

As I see it, the essence of the Bollywood culture is not uniquely Indian. The promotion and glorification of wealth, material opulence, power and sexual desires have become themes in American and Chinese (especially Cantonese) popular culture.

It serves several purposes:

One, like opium or drugs, it diverts the attention of the poor and powerless people from the socio-economic, moral and political causes of their sufferings, and project for them false and vain hopes.

Second, with the mass of poor and powerless people addicted to escapist fantasies, ruling elites, however corrupt and tyrannical, can hope to rule over a feeble and weak-willed populace forever, without political resistance or religio-cultural opposition.

Seen in this perspective, the promotion of the Bollywood culture can be seen as a form of psychological conditioning to enfeeble the masses by the elites. To promote Bollywood in Genting Highlands, another manufacturer of false hope, is to produce double effects of enfeebling the hearts and minds of the people.