Retro styles and pan-Indian stardom in Dulquer Salmaan’s non-Malayalam movies

Despite an array of new statutes designed to safeguard women and punish abusers, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) continues to snuff out many lives leading to infringement of fundamental human rights and serious physical and mental health consequences. Like other societal phenomena, gender-based violence particularly IPV alongside its resistance, is prominently depicted in contemporary Indian cinema. By evaluating three films in light of a social responsibility paradigm which relies on realistic representation as its basic dimension, this research investigates how accurately IPV is portrayed across contemporary Indian cinema. The behavioural elements of the widely recognized The Duluth Model and Power and Control Wheel will be applied to determine realistic representation of IPV in each particular movie. This study focuses on films like Jasmeet K. Reen’s Darlings, Charukesh Sekar’s Ammu and Vipin Das’s ‘Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey’ which premiered in year 2022 in Hindi, Telugu and Malyalam cinema respectively. The results demonstrate significant variations in the measure of social responsibility indicating that contemporary Indian cinema may play a significant role in realistic projection of IPV

Ever since Friedrich Meinecke proposed the distinction between the terms “cultural nation” (Kulturnation) as expressed in fine art and “Statsnation” (political nation), the cultural sphere of nationalism or nationalist idealogy/culture has been quoted either out of context or misquoted/misinterpreted to demean other cultures and reinforced ostensibly to carve out a false or “imagined” national identity in the Indian context and more so in the Indian popular culture. Does it reflect the culture of the majority populace in India? Why does it hegemonize other cultures? With the mainstream narratives and myths that underlie the Indian media, popular culture galvanizes around terms like nationalism, national identity and others. The main aim of this article is to unravel and deconstruct the notion of national culture and all the accompanying terms associated with it. It becomes significant in the present socio-cultural-politico-Indian context with its approach towards feudalism and postcolonial imperatives. The main question is how these terms are appropriated and subverted to form a new meaning, perhaps a historical revision. Randomly, nine Indian films were chosen for observation. The analysis reveals that a microscopic minority invokes the metanarrative of hypernationalism and cultural homogenization to placate the democratic forces and achieve their hidden agenda. Since it is value-based, its recommendations too primarily belong to the moral turpitude of those who are in power.

The transformation of regional cinema into a pan-Indian phenomenon signals a pivotal shift in the Indian film industry that merits comprehensive analysis. A burgeoning trend has emerged wherein films transcending regional boundaries not only garner significant box office success but also reshape narrative strategies and cultural representation, reflecting a collective national identity. The strategic approach that filmmakers and studios adopt in crafting content that resonates with diverse audiences across linguistic and cultural divides plays a crucial role in this evolution. For instance, notable films such as Baahubali and RRR exemplify the deliberate fusion of local cultural elements with universally appealing themes, positioning them as global cinematic spectacles. These films highlight a critical understanding of audience segmentation and emotional engagement, emphasising filmmakers' ability to harness regional storytelling while coupling it with broader themes of heroism, sacrifice, and unity, thereby effectively capitalising on national sentiments and identity. Moreover, the distinct marketing strategies employed in promoting these films contribute to their widespread appeal, as seen in the comprehensive box office data reported by sources like IMDb, which illustrate the economic ramifications of such films on Indian cinema as a whole (Nugrahani F et al., 2019). This pan-Indian reach is further supported by the increasing accessibility of digital platforms, which have revolutionised film distribution channels, ensuring that even movies originating from regional cinemas can achieve national prominence. As highlighted in contemporary studies, the rise of streaming services has democratized access to films that were once restricted to specific regions, allowing for cross-cultural exchanges and the cultivation of a unified audience experience (Biltereyst et al., 2015). Such platforms not only facilitate the consumption of regional films by broader audiences but also encourage filmmakers to create content that aligns with pan-Indian narratives. This transition from regional successes to national sensations is reflective of broader socio-political dynamics in India, where cultural expressions in cinema serve as vessels for identity, belonging, and nationalism. This is particularly evident in films that foreground themes of historical legacy and contemporary social issues, effectively wooing audiences that cumulatively reflect the nation's vast demographic diversity (Smets et al., 2013). Additionally, there is an observable influence of political narratives embedded within these cinematic experiences, as films increasingly portray themes that resonate with prevailing socio-political agendas. Political parties, most notably the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have utilised prominent cinematic representations to underscore ideologies that support nationalism (Bhattacharya et al., 2019). This evolving relationship between cinema and politics underscores a strategic tool for filmmakers aiming to resonate with audiences on both emotional and ideological levels, promoting films that echo the aspirations of the contemporary Indian audience. In this landscape, the role of cultural criticism has grown increasingly significant, as scholars evaluate the implications of such films on societal perceptions and collective identity (Brandist et al., 2006). The recent adaptations and portrayals within popular films encapsulate broader global trends where local narratives are re-contextualised for larger audiences, suggesting that the strategies employed extend beyond mere entertainment to overtly influence cultural and national discourse. To encapsulate, this trajectory from regional filmmaking to pan-Indian successes underscores a comprehensive shift that is not only altering the landscape of contemporary Indian cinema but also redefining national identity through the lens of cultural production. It prompts an exploration of the underlying strategies that fuel this phenomenon, wherein filmmakers strategically leverage narrative and marketing techniques to transcend geographical and linguistic barriers. The implications of these changes are manifold, suggesting that further research into this domain could yield significant insights into the future of cinema as a potent medium for both cultural representation and political mobilisation in India (Mroz et al., 2017). By examining the intersections of culture, politics, and cinema, this paper aims to elucidate the dynamic interplay at work in contemporary Indian cinema, offering a nuanced understanding of its evolution from regional acclaim to national impact.

This chapter explores the intricate morphology of evil by scrutinizing villain archetypes prevalent in mainstream Hindi cinema. Employing a qualitative framework grounded in narrative theory and cultural studies, the study investigates how these archetypes embody and perpetuate societal anxieties, values, and ideologies. Through a comprehensive examination of prominent cinematic narratives, character developments, and thematic motifs, this research elucidates the multifaceted dimensions of villainy within the cultural and historical contexts of Hindi cinema. By identifying recurring patterns and variations in villain portrayal, the chapter aims to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of how cinematic representations of evil serve as reflections and critiques of broader societal constructs. Ultimately, this exploration seeks to enrich scholarly discourse on the interplay between popular culture, morality, and collective imagination in contemporary Indian cinema.

India’s Right Turn

The Hindu wife and Hindu nation - domesticity and nationalism in colonial Bengal talking about scandals - religion, law and love in colonial Bengal imaging Hindu Rashtra - Hindu and Muslim in writings of Bankimchandra Chattopadhyaya nationalist iconography - image of Woman in 19th century Bengali literature rhetoric against the of Bankimchandra and impossiblity of a political agenda a prehistory of rights - Age of Consent Debate aspects of contemporary Hindutva theology - voice of Sadhvi Rithambhara.

Why was there in the year 2000 a significant shift in the representation of families on Indian soap operas, from middle-class nuclear families with independent working women to upper-class joint families with only homemakers; and from milieus in which the religion of the characters was incidental, to milieus in which the Hindu religion and the performance of it was of central importance? I argue that a confluence of three forces enabled these shifts: (1) in marketing, a radical ‘bottom-of-the-pyramid’ approach; (2) in TV, the industry’s attempts to find audiences in large numbers, mediated by the structure of the Indian audience measurement system; and (3) Hindu nationalists’ focus on ‘middle-class’ audiences. In other words, I show how the very structure of the audience marketplace, especially the Indian television audience measurement system and shifts in marketing practices, abets the naturalization of particular political discourses within popular cultural forms, in this case Hindu nationalist discourse within television soap opera. This article makes a significant contribution to audience measurement studies and, by showing the mechanics of the naturalization of Hindu nationalist ideologies in popular culture, contributes to the literature investigating the influence of ideologies of nationalism in everyday life.

In his recent book on Hindu nationalism, Thomas Blom Hansen suggests that cultural nationalisms are generally projects of ideological control that seek to shape the always unfamiliar and unpredictable social forms generated by processes of modernization. Famously manifested in nineteenth-century organizations like Turnvater Jahn's German gymnasiums or Mazzini's Young Italy corps, such schemes of ideological control emphasize social discipline and individual self-control, particularly the ability to control one's desires and libido in order to sublimate these urges to unconditional dedication and service to the nationalist cause.4 As a result, the cultural nationalists' demand for the moral regeneration of their nation becomes inseparably entangled with elaborate schemes for the purification of body and soul. Viewed as a microcosm of a new moral order to be generalized in society, the individual self is subjected to various experiments designed to render visible the "inner truth" of the moral nation.KeywordsAbsolute TruthSexual AbstinenceCultural NationalismMoral RegenerationPhysical DesireThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

This essay reinserts caste as a predominant theoretical and practical consideration in scholarship about contemporary Indian cinema’s representations of women through focusing on the narratological, political, and emotive function that women serve in two recent Indian films that deal explicitly with caste: Sairat (Wild in Love, dir. Nagraj Manjule, 2016) and Kaala (Dark-skinned One, dir. Pa. Ranjith, 2018). We examine how the conspicuous caste-ing of women reconfigures or expands the category of the new woman, the predominant model of empowered womanhood that Indian (especially Hindi) cinema has resorted to since liberalisation. We investigate how the new woman is reconstituted or destabilised within patriarchal relations that are cross-hatched by caste. Locating their female protagonists in a caste-ist world, both Kaala and Sairat firmly contest the caste-neutral constructions of empowered femininity in mainstream Indian cinema and emphasise instead the intersectional workings of gender, caste, religion, and patriarchy in the articulation of the new woman. By bringing caste to the foreground, even as they barely mention it explicitly, these films make explicit its omnipresent reality and brutality in the everyday functioning of our gendered existence.

Many scholars have alarmed the rise of new extreme nationalism in many countries which is actively promoted by some important national and international leaders. This paper examines the discourses of nationalism in popular culture and compares them with the nationalism ideas as promoted by those political leaders. Assuming that popular culture represents the bedrock belief of the society, this study has investigated the ideology of nationalism in 10 American and 10 Indonesian films applying the discourse historical approach from Ruth Wodak and Martin Reisigl. This study has identified nine features of nationalism in American films, i.e. us against them, saving life of Americans versus taking life of enemies, individual versus institutional hero, hero as common people, anti war narratives, individual versus national interest, absence of governmental supports, white as the dominant, and superpower. While six main features of nationalism in Indonesian films are against poverty, against foreign power, against corruption, sacrifice and service for the nation, imagination as a nation, and developing the nation. This study concludes that the discourse of nationalism in American and Indonesian films do not in line with the nationalism ideas as proposed by the politicians or the government. While the politicians are campaigning new hostile nationalism, popular cultures are promoting nationalism with individual freedom and equality, striving for prosperity, and fighting poverty.Keywords: Discourse-Historical Approach; nationalism; new nationalism; popular culture; American film; Indonesian film.

The close of the twentieth century, coinciding with Americans' increasing belief in an afterlife, witnessed some curious phenomena in popular and civic cultures indicating an increasing presence of the dead in everyday life. Contrary to the thesis that postmodern secular societies pay no respect to the dead, we argue that extreme individualism, capitalism, and technological innovations have together heightened the potency of transcendence drives and increased the number, visibility, and influence of postselves. Further, that the events of 9/11 affected this American immortalist zeitgeist, fueling the nation's culture wars.

The 2001 Tamil Nadu assembly elections were remarkable for the emergence of a number of new political parties and the combination of political parties constituting the two rival electoral alliances. This article analyses the social and political conditions that gave rise to these strange alliances. In doing so the article reflects on the fate of the earliest movement of regional cultural nationalism in India, articulated by the Dravidian Movement, and originally associated with social radicalism. The inability of Dravidian politics to address contemporary anxieties is reflected in the ways in which Tamil politics is now structured by Hindu nationalism, by caste-based politics and by struggles between numerically dominant lower castes and Dalits.

Item Songs have recently become established as new genre of songs in the mainstream Indian Cinema, although they have remained a part of Bollywood movies since at least the 1970s. Such songs, despite their widespread appeal to masses, have often been panned by Film critics (particularly from the Radical Feminist School) for their erotic dances, and an overly glamorized and sexualized depiction of half-nude female bodies. Based upon the textual analysis of two popular item songs in recent Indian cinema, Sheila ki Jawani from Tees Maar Khan (2010) and Munni Badnam Hui from Dabangg (2010), this paper seeks to problematize such readings which focus exclusively on the issue of the objectification of women through the concept of the male gaze. Drawing upon more recent studies in Psychoanalytic Feminist Scholarship, the paper departs from this conventional understanding. It argues that such item songs can also be interpreted as a means of liberation for women, and as devices for reclaiming the narrative on female sexuality, and a woman’s right to her body. More broadly, using Judith Butler’s concept of Gender Performativity in the Feminist Phenomenological tradition, the paper argues that items songs can be construed as performative acts that subvert the male gaze and viewed as constitutive of new feminine subjectivities in the contemporary Indian society.

This research delves into the phenomenon of Pan-Indian South cinema, focusing on deconstructing its compositional elements responsible for its transformative success on the Pan-Indian Landscape, distinguishing itself from the Bollywood cinema, which was previously synonymous with Indian Cinema globally Rajadhyaksha & Willmen (2012). Bollywood long dominated the scholarly discourse on Indian cinema, leading to a notable gap in understanding the nuanced dynamics of South Indian regional Cinema’s and its ascent to the popularity on the pan-Indian Stage. This study addresses this gap by examining how Pan-Indian South Cinema, exemplified by landmark films such as the “Baahubali” series, “Robo 2.0,” "K.G.F. 1," "K.G.F. 2," and “R.R.R." navigates and celebrates its diverse regional identities while resonating with audiences across diverse linguistic and cultural boundaries present in India. Utilizing a methodological approach that integrates textual and content analysis, this research looks at the compositional elements and other factors that contributed to the success of these films on the Pan-Indian stage. The study elucidates the intrinsic factors contributing to Pan-Indian South cinema's success and enduring appeal through a critical lens. By combining innovative cinematic practices and merging the cast of regional and Bollywood Cinema, Pan-Indian South cinema has emerged as a new hybrid cinema, offering audiences narratives often rooted in local cultures and traditions of south India, yet resonating with the Pan-Indian audience. The findings of this inquiry not only enrich our understanding of Pan-Indian Cinema but also shed light on the complexities of cinematic productions and creative choices crucial for their success. Ultimately, this research contributes to a more comprehensive appreciation of India's diverse cinematic traditions and underscores Pan-Indian South Cinema's significance as a vibrant, hybrid and influential force in contemporary Indian Cinema.

Hindu nationalism represents an ambitious attempt to create a subcontinental national identity based upon what is actually a highly pluralistic religious tradition. While Hindu nationalists have made striking political gains in parts of India, this article analyses the relative lack of success of their efforts in the state of Kerala. It argues that it is their circumscribed vision of Indian culture and society that inhibits the votaries of Hindu nationalism from coming to terms with the variety of distinctive political cultures found in India's regions. Their nationalism can sometimes appear exotic in its claim to be authentic.