Indian Cinema Research Articles

Cinema as a Catalyst for Change: How Indian Film Transforms Traditional Gender Roles and Reflects Evolving Indian Societal Norms

Cinema as a Catalyst for Change: How Indian Film Transforms Traditional Gender Roles and Reflects Evolving Indian Societal Norms

Information and Idioms in Circulation: Engaging the Minority Classification in 1930s India

Abstract Several studies have shown how a system of social classifications influenced the bureaucracy of British India when dealing with Indian society on a day-to-day basis. We know less, however, about how representatives of Indian society engaged such classifications and the information accompanying it to advance their own political agendas. This article examines how the classification of “minorities,” along with data connected to it, impacted discourse of Indian political actors in the early 1930s. The article presents a novel method to analyse first-person speech for themes and information content. It then applies the method to interventions by Indian delegates to the Sub-committee on Minorities of the India Round Table Conference, held in London, 1930–2. The article places the empirical investigation within a conceptual frame inspired by Ian Hacking's “looping effect.” Hacking attempts to capture how those classified negotiate imposed designations to advance agendas beneficial to themselves. The following study shows how Indian delegates engaged minority classification in a variety of ways in their political argumentation. The study also shows how information related to the minority classification was “looped” in speech by Indian actors to advance political claims and consolidate identities.

Unveiling discrimination

This article examines the historical and legal marginalization of the hijra, a third-gender community in South Asia, with a particular focus on the Indian subcontinent. Utilizing a postcolonial theoretical framework, the article analyzes contemporary lawfare dynamics between hijra and transgender activists in India and Pakistan. The study integrates gender and class analysis to explore key legal developments, drawing on examples from both colonial and contemporary legislation in India and Pakistan. The article argues that despite increased legal recognition of transgender rights, hijra remain marginalized as transgender activists seek acceptance as members of the middle class, often at the expense of hijra communities. By exploring legislative interventions and the narratives around activist endeavors, lawfare is analyzed at two levels, legislative and social, demonstrating how transgender activism can perpetuate discrimination against hijras in both Pakistan and India. The analyses underscore the complexity of alliances within genderqueer groups in postcolonial South Asian societies, challenging the assumption that these groups are natural allies. Ultimately, the article reveals the complex intersection of gender, class, and legal strategies, critiquing the role of lawfare in perpetuating social divisions and calling for more inclusive approaches to gender rights.

The Adaptation of Shakespeare’s Plays in Indian Cinema

The Adaptation of Shakespeare’s Plays in Indian Cinema

Sports Narratives and Historical Nationalism: Re-Visiting the Context and Use of Field Hockey in Chak De! India

Indian cinema is known for its dramatic narratives that celebrate emotionally elevated visual spectacles through which people from different sociocultural backgrounds come across popular domains of cultural practices, social norms and historical realities that unify them. Field hockey belongs to the popular realm of sports in India which is part of the country’s national identity. India’s participation and success in field hockey at the Olympic Games make it one of the country’s most successful international sports. Indian film narratives about field hockey help to create public discourse about how the sport has historically played a role in shaping national pride and identity in India. Hockey evokes nationalism by symbolizing historical achievements, unity, and cultural identity, inspiring pride and patriotism through the portrayal of heroes, national symbols, and emotional narratives in media and public discourse. The film Chak De! India portrays Indian hockey as a patriotic unifying national narrative and as an empowering discourse that can upend traditional gender stereotypes. It delineates that hockey not only acts as a sports game for entertainment but is an indicator of nationalistic significance and cultural identity that elevates the emotional realm of Indians through the notion of patriotism.

Queer Narratives in Indian Cinema : A Comparative Study of Traditional and Modern Depictions" Films Like Taali , Haddi , Super Deluxe , Margarita with a Straw and Aligarh

Indian cinema has historically reflected societal attitudes towards LGBTQ+ identities, with early portrayals often confined to stereotypes and marginal roles. Traditional films frequently depicted queer characters as either comedic caricatures or tragic figures, reinforcing societal biases and limiting authentic representation. This study examines the evolution of queer narratives in Indian cinema, highlighting the significant shift towards more nuanced portrayals in contemporary films. Films such as Taali (2023) and Margarita with a Straw (2014) showcase a move towards depth and empathy, reflecting broader societal changes and greater awareness of LGBTQ+ issues. Taali offers an authentic portrayal of a transgender activist, while Margarita with a Straw provides a ground-breaking depiction of a bisexual woman with a disability. Similarly, Aligarh (2015) and Super Deluxe (2019) demonstrate a departure from superficial portrayals, focusing on the complexities of queer experiences. Despite progress, Bollywood still grapples with outdated stereotypes, underscoring the need for ongoing advocacy and reform. This study emphasizes the importance of these evolving portrayals in fostering a more inclusive cinematic landscape and contributing to societal understanding of LGBTQ+ experiences.

Digital is Not the Alternative: Dilemma and Preserving Films in India

Abstract Films deteriorate over time and archival methods are still being developed to prevent this. Digital technology enables the conversion of films, but there are various issues with digital approaches that present Indian archivists with the dilemma of choosing the appropriate one to film preservation. It is perceived that digital technology is inferior to film and, thus, archivists in India are struggling to preserve their film heritage for future generations. Film archivists, curators and restorers in India were interviewed as part of this study, with a thematic analysis conducted to understand the perceived insufficiency of digital preservation. Film archivists dislike digital technology but recognise its benefits, however, digital film preservation faces issues of originality, obsolescence, cost, resolution and legal aspects. Archivists suggested that digital archiving is not an alternative to film archiving but rather a complement and the study finds that the problems in digital approaches can be minimised through measures such as diligence, technological advancement, multiple copies and raising awareness which can prolong the film artefact in a digital archive. Both methods must work together to preserve the unpreservable.

(Re)Looking at the Women of Indian Cinema in the Praxis of Conventional Rendering

Films significantly impact social consciousness as they have the power to shape opinions, influence perspectives, and contribute to cultural conversations. In shaping perceptions, films enable people to perceive certain issues, events, or groups of people from dissimilar viewpoints. This paper looks into the nuances of representation of Indian women in films, primarily in Hindi cinema, and how their portrayal differs when their identities are constructed by writers and directors of the opposite gender. It argues for an equitable position for representing women in cinema and highlights the role of intersectional relationships between race, class, sexuality, and ability for the same. With an emphasis on feminist film theory and its praxis, this paper traces the history of Indian cinematic renderings in giving agency to women in films and how the perspectives of women writers and directors seeps into their creations for a positive outcome, whereas the male centric industry hinders the proper portrayal of the lived experience. It finally advocates for an academic understanding of the lacunas that exist in the entire ecosystem and offers an expansive approach for devising actionable and sustainable solutions to the critical problem of representation.

Difusi Inovasi dalam Film “Toilet”

Sanitation is a polemic faced by developing countries. There are various reasons why sanitation is still underdeveloped in some areas such as poverty, culture, customs and others. Inability to sanitation can unknowingly result in losses for the community, losses experienced such as the emergence of diseases such as skin diseases, dirty environments and well water pollution. The purpose of this study is to illustrate that it is not easy to adopt a habit in society that is translated into an Indian film entitled "Toilet". The method used in this study is qualitative descriptive. The data collection technique uses observation by watching toilet films and determining the seconds that describe the spread of innovation absorption. The results of the study in this film illustrate that the absorption or adoption of a habit has a fairly difficult process. Where a country or region has norms that apply such as a culture that has been passed down from generation to generation, so if there is something new, it is not necessarily easily accepted by the surrounding environment. As depicted in the toilet film which explains that toilets, especially for defecating, are prohibited from being installed in the house, because ancestral teachings explain that dirty things should not be in the house, so that the activity is carried out in open fields or in fields.

The killing fields of Punjab: representing the Sikh militancy in cinema

ABSTRACT The Sikh Militancy was a violent movement that began in the northern Indian state of Punjab in the late 1970s and lasted through the early 1990s. The movement consisted predominantly of Jatt Sikhs, who waged a bloody campaign for an independent, theocratic Sikh state, Khalistan. Despite the sanguinary nature of the conflict and the highly influential role that Punjabi culture plays in India’s mass entertainment culture and even the large numbers of Punjabi directors in India’s mass film industry, Indian language films about this period are relatively sparse. In this essay, we study two films about the Khalistan conflict: Maachis and Punjab 1984.

Critiquing Indian Middle‐Class Principles of Mobility: Examining Transgender Representation in Post‐Millennial OTT Media in India

ABSTRACTThis literature review critically examines the need to incorporate critiques of urban, middle‐class, Hindu, upper‐caste mediated regulation of transgender mobility within media analyses of transgender representation in contemporary films and other streaming (OTT) media in India. The essay explores how the real and imagined/narrative mobility of marginalized groups, such as Dalit women, Muslim women, sex workers, and transgender communities, has been historically disciplined by the cultural and political practices of the upper‐caste Hindu middle class family. Material‐discursive practices of this class upper‐caste, middle‐class Hindu family shape and get shaped by gendered and caste‐coded interests of neoliberal productivity and heteropatriarchal respectability, determining the ideal geographies of the city and the relational cartographies of the nation. Films and media also get influenced by and shape these discursive practices by prioritizing a middle‐class sense of place in their worldmaking efforts. The narrative schema of such cultural production designs the movement of characters in such a way that they move in directions considered recognizable, legible and acceptable for the Indian middle class family. The primary aim of this review is to delineate the literature on spatial imaginaries of the middle class family and how the cultural practices of this class imagine and render legible the marginalized, allowing for a critical analysis of the co‐production of middle‐class spatial control and transgender visibility in cultural texts like that of contemporary streaming media. Furthermore, this study explores the emplacement of the marginalized as evident in critiques of representations of Dalit, Muslim, and sex worker communities in Indian cinema, emphasizing the necessity of applying similar analyses to trans representation. This spatially sensitive critique is crucial for understanding transgender struggles in India, highlighting the importance of examining middle‐class spatial imaginaries that shape trans representation and the politics of regulated transgender (im)mobilities.

SATYAJIT RAY AS A DOCUMENTARIAN: A STUDY ON RABINDRANATH TAGORE AND SUKUMAR RAY

Satyajit Ray, renowned globally for his cinematic brilliance, also left an indelible mark as a documentary filmmaker. It is to be mentioned here that the literatures and writings on Ray’s documentary are very less in number. Ray's documentaries on Rabindranath Tagore encapsulate the multifaceted persona of the Nobel laureate, exploring his literary contributions, artistic vision, and philosophical ideologies. Through meticulous research and visual finesse, Ray elucidates Tagore's timeless relevance, weaving together archival footage and dramatic reenactments to present a holistic portrayal of the poet's life and legacy. In his exploration of Sukumar Ray, Satyajit Ray ventures into the whimsical world of children's literature and satire to commemorate the centenary birth anniversary.This paper tries to discuss on documentaries made by Ray with special emphasis on Rabindranath Tagore and Sukumar Ray. Besides reviewing relevant literatures, the researchers have tried to describe two documentaries vividly. In addition to this, they also have taken insightful interviews of three literary and film scholars to understand Ray as documentarian. The interviews were analysed and conclusion have been drawn on the basis of that. The paper shows, beyond mere biographical documentation, Satyajit Ray's documentaries serve as nuanced reflections on the socio-cultural milieu of their respective times, offering profound insights into the artistic legacies of Rabindranath Tagore and Sukumar Ray. The paper serves to highlight the intricate nature of Ray's documentary legacy and its ongoing significance in influencing conversations within Indian cinema.

European screen locations in the Indian film industry: evolutionary, spatial, and collaborative perspectives

India has long been known for its film industry and remains by far the largest film producer in the world, surpassing other film-producing superpowers like the US and China. A major factor in India’s dominance in the global media landscape is the outsourcing of film production, especially within Europe. Although there are studies trying to explain the context and mechanisms of foreign settings being incorporated into Indian filmmaking, this knowledge remains scattered and unsystematic. The objective of this paper is to comprehensively examine the evolutionary, spatial, and collaborative dynamics of Indian filmmaking in Europe by analysing statistical data from IMDb as the world’s largest film database. Our findings show that Indian filmmakers appeared relatively infrequently in Europe until the mid-1990s. The British Isles and Western Europe, with London and the Swiss Alps as the main centres, became the first and most popular destinations for outsourcing Indian films. However, this trend has changed in the last two decades, with the focus shifting to other areas in Southern, Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe as well in recent decades. The initial wave of Bollywood productions has gradually been followed by other regional cinematographies. The increasing presence of Indian film shooting in Europe has also led to growing co-production between filmmakers on both (sub)continents. The paper provides a solid basis for further exploration of socio-economic linkages between India and Europe, especially in terms of job creation, local economic development, tourism, and cultural exchange.

Politics of apoliticality and the Indian citizen in popular Hindi cinema

ABSTRACT Popular Hindi cinema in contemporary times has characteristic patterns of ideological positioning, that reflect the populist authoritarian regime and its political agenda of a monolithic Hindu identity with its corresponding political version of a nation built on Hindutva policies. Film genres like historicals have been ideal propaganda vehicles in building counternarratives to challenge the fragile secular structures that keep the heterogeneity of the nation in place. A sub-genre to be mentioned in this context is biopics which have emerged as a popular sub-genre of historicals in contemporary Indian cinema. They narrate tales of individuals who have led extraordinary lives or have shaped their lives to become role models for the young to learn and emulate. Biopics can be turned into narratives about nationalism with little effort and we see several films shaping discourses on nationalism and national identity. Using biopics released since 2010, I seek to explore the significance of this hero in biopics in a neoliberal nationalist paradigm. The films chosen are those that depict the lives of common people who have turned heroes, as in the case of films like Manjhi – The Mountain Man (2015), Super 30 (2019), and Pad Man (2018).

‘Agency, voice and choice’: reflecting on assisted reproductive technologies through select Indian films

ABSTRACT The article examines the contested aspects of neoliberalism through cinematic narratives, addressing the issue of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in India, a debated subject in socio-legal spheres. Existing literature extensively discusses the biopolitical and bioethical dimensions of commercialization and commodification, particularly concerning organ, egg, sperm donations, and gestational commercial surrogacy. This research endeavors to scrutinise and appraise the ethical quandaries emanating from the technological transformation of motherhood, as portrayed in fictional representations. These narratives shed light on the difficult situations faced by surrogates and egg donors, who are often driven by familial or socio-economic pressures to provide their reproductive services. Consequently, they become commodified within the context of India's In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) industry. Ergo, through the films I Am (2010) and Mimi (2021), this article probes into the intertwining socioeconomic situations of the large percentage of infertile women and claims that the positive discourse around the ‘new Indian women’ is inherently diluted and undermined. Additionally, the research emphasizes that ART—and more importantly, a new agency for single women—is reiterated within the political and socio-historical contexts of the films discussed.

Towards inclusivity: Dalit women’s representation in contemporary Telugu cinescapes

Cinema acts as a cultural product, a medium of expression and a source of popular entertainment; usually it appears to conscientiously genuflect to upper-caste dictums. Since its inception, Telugu cinema, or Tollywood, the third-largest film industry in India, has produced various caste-based films like Gudavalli Ramabrahmam’s Malapilla (1938), Kasinadhuni Vishwanath’s Kalam Marindhi (1972) and K. Balachander’s Rudraveena (1988), amongst others. In the discourse surrounding caste, the ‘Dalit woman question’ and its representation is either consciously ignored or erased, and thus, it stands enfolded in upper-caste reformist politics. This article analyses the representation of Dalit women in select Telugu films produced at significant sociopolitical junctures of contemporary times. These films mark a significant departure from the stereotypical representation of Dalit women as submissive and portray them as women with voices. Within the larger framework of feminist activism and human rights discourse, we see Dalit women protagonists in these films with an agentic space of their own. In the Indian context, where equality and no discrimination are constitutional rights, the films under discussion, Srikanth Addala’s Narappa (2021) and Sekhar Kammula’s Love Story (2021), are an appropriate intervention to showcase the inclusivity of Dalit women in the larger scheme of Indian feminism. This study employs critical textual and frame analysis to read selected Telugu films as cultural texts with Dalit feminist consciousness embedded within them.

Representation of Therapy and Therapists in Indian Movies and TV Series: An Examination of Accuracy, Influence, and Perception

Film and psychology share a longstanding relationship with evolving depictions of therapy and therapists. While extensive research explores Hollywood's portrayal of mental health, a gap exists in understanding therapists in Indian media. This study addresses this void, examining how Indian movies and TV series portray therapists and their impact on audiences. Utilizing qualitative methodology, expert interviews provide insights into therapist perspectives. Bollywood often simplifies mental health, while regional cinema offers more authentic representations. Critiques target films like 'Dear Zindagi,' 'Atrangi Re,' and Tamil movies 'Beast' and 'Anniyan,' as well as the series 'The Family Man' for unrealistic therapy scenes. Positive examples include Tamil and Malayalam films like 'Kumbalangi Nights' and 'Irugapatru,' and the series 'Made in Heaven' for ethical therapist portrayals. Indian media tends to trivialize therapy, perpetuating misconceptions, and stigma. Experts stress the importance of responsible depictions, even in extreme treatments like Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). Therapists face challenges addressing misconceptions fuelled by media portrayals during sessions, underscoring the need for accurate and empathetic representations in Indian media.

BAAHUBALI: THE BEGINNING & BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION – A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

“The only reason I would write a sequel is if I were struck by an idea that I felt to be equal to the original. Too many sequels diminish the original.” ~ Dean KoontzA sequel is a production of literature, film, theatre, television, music, or video game that continues or expands upon the plot of some earlier work. When we talk about the narrative work of fiction, a sequel showcases events set in the same timeline and set as an earlier work, usually following the events of that work.In many cases, the sequel proceeds with the same elements of the existing story, often with the same characters and settings. A sequel can lead to a series, in which key characters appear repeatedly for eg. ‘The Dhoom franchise’. The Indian film industry is known for the sequels even though most of them are not as successful as the prequel. Most of the sequels either repeated the entire cast in a different storyline while some of them were made with a few popular characters of a successful movie. ‘Padmashree Doctor Saroj Kumar ‘is an example for the same as the movie was made with three main characters (Saroj Kumar, Pacchalam Bhasi, and Rafeeque) of its prequel ‘Udayananu Thaaram’.‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ is one of the most successful movies ever made in India. The movie was released in 2015 and the sequel, ‘Baahubali: The Conclusion’ was released in 2017 and became the biggest block buster of all time. Even though surpassing the collection records of the prequel there are many flaws and unanswered questions regarding ‘Baahubali: The Conclusion’.This study compares and analyses ‘Baahubali: The Conclusion’ as a perfect sequel in light of aspects like the story, screenplay, character portrayal and quality like graphics and other aspects are studied. ‘Baahubali: The Conclusion’ has several elements which fail to connect with the first film. This study will also analyze the reasons behind the elements that failed to do justice to the prequel.

EGALITARIAN NARRATIVES: WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION IN MUNIN BARUA’S FILMOGRAPHY

Commercial films in India wield significant influence as a medium of communication. Other than providing entertainment, these films reflect the views of the society. While representation of women in Indian film is dubbed as scarce and superficial, this paper attempts to understand the cinematic representation of violence against women in the select films of Assamese filmmaker Munin Barua. The study employs Altaf Mazid’s egalitarianism as the theoretical framework to examine the women characters in Munin Barua’s films. The select films were analysed using Braun and Clarke's provided steps, leading to the identification of themes that revolved around women. The findings of the study reveal that women in Barua's films are frequently presented as mere plot devices, conforming to traditional gender roles. The select films of Barua also exhibit an underlying inclination towards portraying women in an egalitarian manner.

TAMIL FILM AND SUSTAINABILITY: A NEW TURN FROM ILLUSION TO REALITY - AN ANALYSIS

Gender-based discrimination, climate change catastrophes, and expanding populations are the most concerning factors of the twenty-first century. The entire world requires rapid action to control the current challenge. To meet the world's population's needs and to improve the lives of every living being, there must be a disciplined livelihood to deal with the problems that man creates. The benefits of the seventeen sustainable goals structured by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 bring an admirable global notice to society. Each is distinct in its way and extremely valuable and beneficial to humans and other living beings. Artists of various kinds contribute a lot to achieving these sustainability goals through their artistic creations. Congenially, a participatory outlook on these goals is more prominently seen in many regional film industries in Indian cinema. Among them, the Tamil film industry has recorded these 17 targeted concepts at different times and in variant ways of life. Eliminating poverty, providing quality education, reducing inequality, establishing good health and well-being, and other SDG themes can be appropriately traced in Tamil cinema from its early days. This paper analyses the SDG as depicted in two female-centric Tamil films, 36 Vayadhinile (2015) and Raatchasi (2019). Both films portray refreshing characters battling towards a strong hope for sustainable societal growth and uncover the major SDG goals on the screen for the audience's cognizance. The core possibilities of pursuing Sustainable Development Goals likely with tangible results are identified in the paper with a thorough study of the several SDG plans portrayed in the films.