FS20180

The term “Bollywood” (a blend of Bombay and Hollywood) is often used to describe Hindi films produced out of the Indian film industry based in Mumbai (formerly Bombay). Bollywood today is more than just cinema: it has become a global culture industry that encompasses a gamut of commodities, like music, dance, and fashion, becoming synonymous with “Indian culture.” However, "Bollywood" is a complex and contentious term. The Bollywoodization of Indian cinema/culture has been strongly criticized by several scholars, industry professionals, fans and commentators. They have argued that the term perpetuates the long history of colonization and subordination of “others” by the West, and in this case, Hollywood. Yet, it cannot be denied that “Bollywood” does signify cultural pride. How did Hindi-Urdu cinema become Bollywood? How might we study Bombay as a major media capital? Focusing on this key question, this course will examine Hindi cinema’s pre and post-globalization encounters with concepts like nation, family, diaspora, religion, and gender & sexuality. By locating the Bombay film industry within its contemporary global political economy we will examine the local, national, and transnational appeals of a mammoth cinema-culture.