Indian Cinema in an Age of Globalization

Abstract

India is the world's largest film produser. This essay discusses the multi-lingual diversity and socio-political dynamics of Indian commercial cinema in the age of globalization, The three great urban centers of movie production are identified: namely, Mumbai (or Bombay) in the West, Kokotta (Calcutta) in the East, and Chennai (Madras) in the South, each with its own characteristics and impacts, domestically and abroad.Next, the focus is placed on the influence of the new middle class that have come to the forefront of Indian urban life after the economic liberalization. Attention is centered on the impact of technological developmants such as cassettes, CDs, DVDs, and satellite TV on Indian cinema. Finally, the recent influence of overseas Indians, including non-resident Indians and persons of Indian origin, on the nature and direction of Indian cinema is discussed.To conclude, the new class of transnational cosmopolitan Indians are using the media, especially the cinema, to imagine and construct utopias for themselves in both India and the world. Conversely, the imagined Indian-ness is likely to transmute into nationalist feelings, especially Hindu nationalism. This glo-calization process emphasizes local (regional and national) identities in an age of globalozation.