Indian Cinema: A Bridge of Identity for Indian Diaspora with Special Reference to Bollywood Movie Pardes

Abstract

Films have always been a common source of education, entertainment, and information across the world. Here Beard states “films are among the most common artifacts of modern popular culture that generate and reflect diverse cultures and the traditional values of a society. Consequently films have become a major part of modern society, through which people are becoming aware of different cultures from all over the world”. The paper aims to study the cultural studies and seeks to explore the role of Bollywood movies especially with special reference to movie Pardes (1997), directed by Subash Ghai. These kinds of movies played an important role in identity construction of Indian diaspora across the world. Diaspora may use media products as a form of cultural maintenance for their roots. The interesting fact is that though sociological factors such as friends, family and peer groups always play an important role in making the Indian identity. Bollywood movies not only act as a bridge between home, homeland and diaspora but they also help them to transmit the values, culture and traditions. All these together play a significant role in maintaining their ‘Indianness’, in Abroad.