When we talk of cinema, there are two major forms, generally known by as follows:
Commercial cinema - It primarily aims at providing entertainment to the people. It includes the ingredients of popular cinema- star system, high budget, abundance of music, song and dance. It mostly resorts to phantasy to provide entertainment to people. For example, films like Vaqt, Sholay, Muqhddar Ka Sikkandar, Hum Apke Hain Kaun, are a few examples of such films.
Art cinema - It is more realistic and relevant to the needs of the people and society. This form is not very popular. It is also called 'parallel cinema' 'alternative cinema' or 'New wave cinema'. These new trend films are made at low cost, outside the main stream of commercial cinema. As said by Malhan, "Their dominant characteristics were their social concern, purposefulness, realism, narrative style, exclusion of unrelated songs, dances, and fights and other familiar devices of commercial package. Their acceptance by the intelligent and cultivated audiences in the country and the high praise which some of the really good new trend films won abroad brought a much needed self-confidence to adventurous or innovative film makers". National Films Development Corporation provided institutional aid for the production of these films. Satyajit Ray, Shyam Senegal, Govind Nihalani, Mrinal Sen, are some of the known art cinema proponents. However, many times this cinema faced difficulties in getting financier, or distributor. Many of them remain at award winning level only and never reach the masses due to these difficulties. With the popularity of television, some of such films are telecasted on television. Chakra, Ankur, Nishant, Ardha Satya, Damul, Paar, Shumika, Hazar Chaurashi Ki Maa are some of the examples of art cinema.
Now a day’s cinemas are broadly classified into four major types
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