Bollywood films until fairly recently were often of a production quality much lower than that of their Western counterparts. As Hollywood movies and Western television have become more prevalent throughout India, Bollywood has been forced to raise the bar in order to keep up. While modern Bollywood productions are still produced for very little by Hollywood standards, the production quality can still be quite lavish.

Costumes and sets are very important in most Bollywood productions, in a way similar to Hollywood of the 1950s. Bright colors, lavish designs, and exotic locations are all staples of Bollywood films. In recent years there has been an upsurge of interest in foreign locations, as well, and so many Bollywood films are shot out of the country. Bollywood films are popular throughout the world, due not only to the large numbers of Indians and Pakistanis living in other countries, but because the production values and sheer entertainment kindles many people’s interest. A huge import market exists in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and other Western countries with large Indian and Pakistani populations. Bollywood movies are also wildly popular in Afghanistan, and similarly popular in Iran and other sections of the Arab world.