Postmodernism and India

Abstract

This chapter examines how the Indian film industry has taken a postmodern turn after the millennium as a response to Bollywood's increased global exchanges and commercialisation. It first considers the postmodern presence in contemporary Indian cinema by observing the film industry's geographical site of production in two of India's most prominent celluloid cities: Delhi and Mumbai. It then explores postmodern shifts in contemporary Bollywood and the concept of postmodernism within a global context by reviewing selected critical writing which has previously attempted to relate the concept to both Western and Eastern cinemas. It also analyses the issue of legitimacy wih respect to the relationship between contemporary Bollywood cinema and postmodern art concerns.