Indian Cinema Research Articles

Identity and Nation in Coca-Cola's Thanda Narratives in India: A Semiotic Study

When Coca-Cola re-entered the Indian market in the era of government-initiated liberalization, privatization, and globalization in the 1990s, one of the major challenges it faced was to again penetrate the Indian soft drinks market and acquire a considerable market share over a period of time in view of the fact that it was a foreign brand which had pulled out of Indian market owing to unfavorable legislations in 1977. Given this scenario, Coca-Cola, despite being a global brand with a high recall value, faced tough competition from popular Indian brands like Thums Up, Limca, and Gold Spot, which enjoyed a larger market share during the early 1990s. To meet this challenge, Coca-Cola launched a series of television commercials in Hindi, the national language of the country, featuring its brand ambassador, Aamir Khan, a popular Indian actor. Considered to be one of the most creative and popular advertisement campaigns of its times, the commercials specifically aimed to create a favorable narrative for Coca-Cola in the minds of Indian consumers. All the different versions of the commercial had a common but powerful punch line, which played a major role in positioning the brand at par with the long-standing Indian brands in the market. This research article undertakes a semiotic analysis of the commercials, particularly with the aim of establishing the narrative(s) they offered and how that narrative was instrumental in giving Coca-Cola the makeover it needed to compete with the Indian brands.

Sexing the history of Indian anti‐colonial internationalism: White women, Indian men and the politics of the personal

AbstractIn contrast to the wealth of literature on the gendered and sexual politics of Indian nationalism, studies on the internationalisation of Indian anti‐colonial nationalism are rarely informed by the twin themes of gender and sexuality. As Indian activists traversed international political spaces in the early twentieth century, they frequently entered into sexual relations with white women. This article explores the possible political consequences of such sexual contact through a study of the personal lives of Arathil Candeth Narayanan Nambiar and Manabendra Nath Roy and their relationships with the largely unknown German‐born sisters, Eva and Lu Geissler.

Subtitle Writing or the Thankless Work of Making Indian Films Globally Accessible

The video essay documents the creative contributions of English language subtitle writers for Indian films, arguing how the work of subtitling films was instrumental to the industry’s transformation and continuing global success. The essay draws from archival and ethnographic research and pieces together the relatively recent history of how subtitling became a niche and precarious industry in the film capitals of India like Mumbai, Kochi and Chennai since the mid-2000s. The essay explores the historical and ideological reasons behind these systems in the Indian subtitling profession. 

Cinematic Feminism: the Evolution of Women-centric Films in India

Cinematic Feminism: the Evolution of Women-centric Films in India

Mastering Angika Abhinaya: somatic actor training with Seraikella Chhau

Various Asian somatic practices, such as Kalarippayattu, Thangta, Kathakali, Koodiyattam, Noh, Butoh, Taijiquan, and Yoga, have been utilised for pre-expressive actor training. The article contends that Chhau movement training, commonly practised in many Indian actor training institutes, can enhance Angika Abhinaya (externalising internal emotions and thoughts through the body) and produce similar outcomes to the pre-expressive actor training that Philip Zarrilli and Eugenio Barba describe. The Chhau movement training has the potential to be explored further as a means of somatic actor training. The article examines the Chhau movement training approaches employed by two veteran Seraikella Chhau trainers. The effectiveness of the training is evaluated through case studies, and primary data is gathered from participant observations, group discussions, and personal interviews. The results indicate that the training is highly effective in enhancing physical conditioning, body language, and expression of inner reality, improving Angika Abhinaya. The Chhau training enhances the participants’ ability to express emotions effectively through movement, enriching their performances.

Desiring audiences: We will go to the cinema if…?

Beginning in the 1990s, Bangladeshi cinema began to lose its audiences significantly. This leads to the continual closure of cinema halls, one after another. Popular perception is that Bangladeshi audiences watch foreign films, Indian popular films in particular, and television programs using home-viewing facilities. Mainstream filmmakers and producers in Bangladesh argue that when audiences can almost effortlessly access similar contents at home and so they do not go to the theatres. This study, therefore, explores how the audiences decide about a film (irrespective of the origin of production) to watch, what satisfies their viewing, and their disinclination to watch cinema at the theatre in Bangladesh. A total of 100 regular movie-viewers participated in the survey interviews. The findings confirm that for most of the viewers, the trailer of a film, known or favorite actors and/or actresses, and cinema viewers or cinema-goers’ feedback are the three key sources based on which they decide whether to watch a film or not. Relying on these sources, they want confirmation that the film(s) they will watch must have all the necessary components contributing to their viewing satisfaction. The story itself, the craft of storytelling, performance, and dialogues through which characters of the story reach the audience, good making that creates reality, known (star) actors and actresses, and visual spectacle are found to be the primary elements that produce audiences viewing satisfaction. Though most respondents conditionally agreed that they prefer to watch films at theatres, films screened there are found unworthy of watching. Their leisureless lifestyle considerably contributed to this disinclination toward cinema-going.

The politics of fat positivity and fat acceptance: Exploring select post-millennial, South Indian “fat films”

ABSTRACT While the representation of the fat body in post-millennial mainstream South Indian films has often been problematic due to the inherent biases against non-normative bodies, a promising trend has been visible in recent post-millennial South Indian movies centered on fat protagonists. Known as “fat films” within fat activism for their stance on fat positivity and fat acceptance, these movies claim to promote liberatory discourses regarding fat bodies. However, we argue that the liberatory potential of these movies often becomes limited due to the structurally similar, formulaic plots that construct fatness as a liminal, alterable state of being. For our analysis, we have chosen three mainstream South Indian “fat films” released in three different Indian languages in which the narratives navigate through the complex life experiences of the fat protagonists: Da Thadiya (Hey Fatso) (2012), a Malayalam movie directed by Ashiq Abu; Inji Iduppazhagi (Size Zero) (2015), a Tamil movie directed by Prakash Kovelamudi; and Laddu Babu (2014) a Telugu movie directed by Ravi Babu. It is found that the subversive potential of these films is undermined by a host of issues, both specific and general, such as a) their construction of fatness as an abject form of embodiment where it becomes a constant source of laughter b) their reductive and redundant portrayals of fat subjectivities and inability to contribute alternative narratives which aren’t centered on the fat protagonists’ “eternal” conflict with their bodies and c) their inability to interrogate the larger body politics behind the aestheticization of certain bodies as normative.

Willy Haas in Bombay

This archival piece presents an excerpted translation from the memoirs of Willy Haas, Die Literarische Welt (1958). Haas was a Czech-German writer and scenarist who migrated to Bombay during the Nazi purge of European Jews. The translation, by Xan Holt, offers rich atmospheric and technical details about an underdocumented period in Indian film history. The framing commentary by Debashree Mukherjee goes deeper into the histories coded in the excerpt: of Bhavnani Productions, a studio founded by film director Mohan Bhavnani, and the first film that Haas wrote for him, a controversial adaptation of Ibsen’s Ghosts, released in India as Jhoothi Sharm (1940).

‘What Explains the Viewership Preferences of Young Indian Adults Towards Hollywood or Indian Cinema? are the Two at Contest?’

‘What Explains the Viewership Preferences of Young Indian Adults Towards Hollywood or Indian Cinema? are the Two at Contest?’

Queering the Norms: From Taboo to Acceptance of Queer Themes in the Contemporary Hindi Cinema

The portrayal of queer people in Bollywood films has undergone remarkable change over the course of several decades, which is a reflection of changing perspectives in society as well as progresses in the film industry. The representation of LGBTQ+ people in Indian cinema has evolved from early caricatures and stereotypes to delineations that are more intricate and assertive. This means that the portrayal of these characters has become more multifaceted and subtle. This paper investigates the progression of these portrayals, analysing the impact they have had on cultural attitudes as well as the ongoing path towards true-to-life depiction and acceptability in mainstream Bollywood films.

User Perspectives on Over-The-Top (OTT) Platforms in Kashmir: A Quantitative Analysis

Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms are gaining popularity in Kashmir, with Netflix emerging as the most preferred platform. The majority of respondents spend 1-2 hours daily on OTT platforms, with movies being the most preferred content type. The primary motivation for watching content on OTT platforms is its simplicity of use, with Urdu being the most chosen language. The study also found that OTT applications are changing television and movie-watching habits in Kashmir, and that a substantial proportion of users believe that these platforms are changing the Indian television and film industry. Respondents are optimistic about the future of OTT platforms in Kashmir, citing factors such as smartphone penetration, digital quality, cost-effectiveness, and international collaboration. This research provides valuable insights for industry stakeholders, content creators, and policymakers seeking to understand user preferences and capitalize on the growing digital entertainment market in Kashmir. The study offers important implications for the future development of OTT platforms and media consumption patterns in the region.

Cultural Nationalism or National Culture as Portrayed in Indian Popular Culture: The Case of Indian Visual Media

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.

PADMARAJAN’S CREATIVE ILLUSTRATION OF MASCULINITIES

Padmarajan is an eminent personality of Indian cinema whose passionate and exquisite oeuvre of films grappled with the minds of viewers in India but remains underexplored in international academia. This article focuses on the creative representation of masculinities by Padmarajan with the aid of varied masculinity theories starting from the foundational masculinity ideas of Raewyn Connell to the alternate masculinity concepts rooted in the South Asian socio-cultural milieu. The paper examines how skilfully Padmarajan presents different forms of masculinity primarily subverting the traditional depictions in his select films.

Dementia in South Indian Cinema – A Film Review

Dementia in South Indian Cinema – A Film Review

Tracing the Roots of Islamophobia in Recent Indian Films

Abstract This article analyses the recent rise of Islamophobic films in India. While it may seem that social media has led to a rise in Hindu nationalism and Islamophobia in the recent past, it is crucial to recognize that this narrative is incomplete. The rise of Islamophobia in the country can be traced back to the 20th century freedom struggle where a counter-narrative to Gandhian concepts of communal harmony can be found in the writings of various leaders, artists and activists. Social media has allowed for a re-proliferation of those strands of thought in recent times through the platforms such as Youtube, which has led to the success of movies like The Kashmir Files or The Kerala Story.

Indian Cinema: Bollywood as a Reflection of Social Political Issues

Abstract: Indian cinema, particularly Bollywood, has been a mirror reflecting the intricate tapestry of social and political issues prevalent in the country. This research project aims to delve into the dynamic relationship between Bollywood films and the socio-political landscape of India. Through an interdisciplinary approach encompassing film studies, sociology, and political science, this study will analyze a selection of Bollywood films spanning different eras and genres to explore how they engage with and reflect upon issues, such as gender inequality, caste discrimination, religious tensions, corruption, and socio-economic disparities. By examining the portrayal of these issues in cinematic narratives, visual aesthetics, characterizations, and thematic elements, this research seeks to elucidate the ways in which Bollywood serves as both a reflection and a commentary on the challenges and transformations shaping contemporary Indian society and politics. Additionally, the project will investigate the reception and impact of these films on audiences, considering their role in shaping public discourse, mobilizing social movements, and influencing policy debates. Through this comprehensive analysis, the research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between cinema, society, and politics in India

Cultural Encounters: Puppetry Performing Arts (Wayang) and Dangdut Music as a Reflection of India-Indonesia Integration

The purpose of this research is to reveal the relationship or social and cultural influence of the Indian nation on the expression of performing arts (wayang) and dangdut music in Indonesia. The hope of this research is to increase public awareness of the identity of national performing arts and music, which is rarely realized to be heavily influenced by Indian culture. Specifically, the aspects examined in this research include changes in the content of stories from Indian epics in the adaptation of Indonesian performing arts, as well as dangdut music that adapts the energetic spirit of music and dance from India. The method used in this research is qualitative with primary data sources derived from scientific articles and books related to the research. The data validation analysis technique used in this research is triangulation. Triangulation is used as a means of comparing the amount of data, to determine its consistency and accuracy, which will be displayed in the research. The results of this study show that, the culture brought by India is not really one hundred percent imitated or copied by the Indonesian people. The author concludes that the hybridity that occurs between Indian and Indonesian culture actually forms a new innovation in the field of art itself or can also be called a new work. The Mahabharata and Ramayana stories, which were originally the source of puppetry, changed and adapted to Indonesian culture. As a result, there are many compositions of the two epics, character changes, and the emergence of new characters that do not exist in the Mahabharata and Ramayana themselves, such as the punakawan characters that are closely related to the spread of Islam in Indonesia. The same goes for dangdut, a music that was originally based on the character of Malay music from Indonesia, now transformed into a new genre called dangdut due to the influence of India, through political elements and the spread of Indian movies in the 20th century.

Influence of Indian Directors on Popular Culture and Societal Views: A Comprehensive Study

This study investigates the global impact of Indian cinema, focusing on the works of notable directors such as Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rajamouli, Imtiaz Ali, Anurag Basu, and Anurag Kashyap. The study examines Indian cinema's rich cultural past and its power to alter societal views, influence popular culture, and promote inclusivity and diversity through an interdisciplinary viewpoint. Using a combination of qualitative analysis and case studies, including notable films such as Bhansali's "Padmavat," Rajamouli's "Baahubali" series, Ali's "Jab We Met," Basu's "Barfi!," and Kashyap's "Gangs of Wasseypur," the research examines the narrative techniques and thematic content employed by these directors to challenge stereotypes and promote unity among diverse communities. It also looks into the reception and cultural relevance of these films, both domestically and abroad, emphasising their role in promoting cross-cultural dialogue and understanding. This study seeks to shed light on the changing dynamics of cultural representation, diversity, and global influence in the film industry by contextualising these directors' contributions within the larger landscape of Indian cinema. Keywords: Popular Culture, Inclusivity, Diversity, Naaratives

The Cultural Codes of Home in Indian Cinema

The housing typology introduced by architects in India after independence departed dramatically from traditional settlement patterns. This break, as in Chandigarh, was an attempt to forge a new future. Concurrently, Indian cinema too set out to emphasize domesticity, yet one that alluded to real and imagined traditions. There were distinct differences, and between the two, it is cinema which ended up furnishing a more acceptable cultural and aesthetic model. Even today, cinema’s home contrasts sharply with the placeless geography of an actual house. This paper traces cinema’s typology of home in post-independence India.

The impact of accredited social health activists in India on uptake of modern contraception: A nationally representative multilevel modelling study

ABSTRACT The government of India introduced the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) programme in 2006 to connect marginalised communities to the health system. ASHAs are mandated to increase the uptake of modern contraception through the doorstep provision of services. There is currently no evidence on the impact of ASHAs on the uptake of contraception at the national level. This paper examines the impact of ASHAs on the uptake of modern contraception using nationally representative National and Family Health Survey data collected in 2019–21 in India. A multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of contact with ASHAs on the uptake of modern contraception, controlling for regional variability and socio-demographic variables. The data provide strong evidence that ASHAs have succeeded in increasing modern contraceptive use. Women exposed to ASHAs had twice the odds of being current users of modern contraception compared to those with no contact, even after controlling for household and individual characteristics. However, only 28.1% of women nationally reported recent contact with ASHA workers. The ASHA programme should remain central to the strategy of the government of India and should be strengthened to achieve universal access to modern contraception and meet sustainable development goals by 2030.