There are two things that every Indian loves: Cricket and Bollywood, but I’d like to comment on Bollywood‘s power today. Bollywood is so powerful that it has made Switzerland a top destination for Indian tourists just because some of the mega-hit movies featured a couple of mountain-top singing and dancing scenes. Bollywood is SO POWERFUL that the tourism authority of Spain, Turespana, invested over $600,000 in the movie Zindagi na Milegi Dobara in 2011.
The entire movie was shot in Spain and ran like a full marketing promotion of the country’s tourism. Turespana’s investment paid off big-time: a whopping 65% increase in Indian tourists in just one year after the movie’s release.
Ok, ok, so what does this have to do with augmented reality?
As far as I can tell, nothing yet. But there is big opportunity if we fit the pieces together!
Fact: Bollywood has huge sway in a country’s tourism.
Fact: Indian consumers take to mobile technology like ducks take to water. Just check out Google’s video on the Indian Mobile Consumer. 97% of urban citizens of India have a mobile device, and 23% of them are already smartphone users. That is a LOT of people, and it’s growing.
Fact: There is such thing as an Augmented Reality Cinema App, that allows people to see the scenes of their favourite movies play out right in front of them. Check out this video to actually see what I’m talking about.
MOST IMPORTANT FACT: I cannot find a single mention of a smartphone App that does this for Bollywood movies…EVEN THOUGH Bollywood Tourism is so huge! This App would be so wildly popular with Indian tourists who go to Switzerland to relive those cheesy song-dance moments in the Alps from DDLJ!
Someone better get on this. Quick.
Shiv 2 Go 
Wow. This is so amazing! I’m still in awe (shock!) at your last photo. That would certainly be a sick app to have! Even though I’m not a Bollywood fan, I can definitely see the potential market you mentioned. I’m surprised that this hasn’t been invented for Bollywood yet since Indians (main market for Bollywood) are known to be so tech-saavy! I’ve always been amazed by augmented reality although I can’t quite imagine having it so integrated in our lives just of yet!
A really entertaining post though! Time for me to check out that app now. Thanks for the heads up shiv!
Hahaha, thanks Hannah! I really want the app, too!!
This is crazy! I want to get an app like this now so that I can walk around with Diego Luna 🙂
This is amazing! I want this app now so that I can walk around with Diego Luna! 😀
Or even better, walk around with him in Cuba a la Dirty Dancing Havana nights 😀
WOW! So fricken cool!
Excellent point that this would be huge for Bollywood.
It says that it is only under conception and development. Do you know if there’s an app like this working and in the market already?
If not, I’m sure they’ll get it out soon.
I think the app is called Augmented Reality cinema, here’s the website if you want to check it out – http://www.augmentedrealitycinema.com
No matter how many times I hear about augmented or virtual reality, it always feels eerie to me. Yeah, that app is pretty cool; but there’s a part of me that thinks this puts us at maybe 80 years from being in the Matrix.
We’re pretty much already there, it’s just that the futuristic technologies are not available to the average consumer yet – holographic tvs, hovercars, making stuff invisible – they already exist, and I want it!
I enjoyed reading this very informative post. Stumbling this now 🙂