Critics always turn up their noses at Bollywood's exaggerated style of story-telling but that is exactly what makes them successful, opined United Nations Under Secretary General and author Shashi Tharoor and actress Amisha Patel.

Tharoor and Amisha Patel were speaking during a panel discussion on ‘Development and Impact of Indian Films' on Tuesday.

Tharoor pointed out that since Indian films have over-the-top acting and narration, they have easily overcome the barriers of language.

"Hindi movies are popular even in Africa and Arab countries. A Senegalese woman can appreciate Bollywood movie without knowing Hindi and without benefit of subtitles," he said.

"Everything is so exaggerated in our movies, it becomes ‘telegraphic' and reaches out easily," he added.

While Tharoor held that exaggeration was necessary for reaching out, Amisha said people like it because it creates ‘an alternative reality'.

"It offers a three-hour escape," she said. Talking about Bollywood's song-and-dance formula, she said it could be put down to lack of music channels like MTV in India before cable TV arrived.

Talking about Hindi cinema's capacity to influence, she said her blockbuster movie Gadar got her female fans even from Pakistan which is profusely bashed-up in the movie.