Bollypolitics

Popular Hindi Cinema and Hindutva

Ajay Gehlawat (Sonoma State University, USA)

$170

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Bloomsbury Academic
13 June 2024

Film theory & criticism; Religion & politics

Series: World Cinema

This book provides an in-depth exploration of the evolving landscape of Bollywood cinema in response to recent socio-political changes in India, including a surge in sectarian violence and the ascent of Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

Through a comprehensive analysis of prominent filmmakers and actors like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Kangana Ranaut, Akshay Kumar, and Anupam Kher, Ajay Gehlawat investigates the extent to which their recent works align with key tenets of the Hindutva movement. He scrutinizes the growing influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on film production, manifesting in collaborations covering diverse themes, from Modi's Clean India initiative to the nation's space exploration endeavors and grand historical epics such as Padmaavat (2018) and Manikarnika (2019) that seek to reshape Indian history in line with Hindutva ideology.

Gehlawat goes on to dissect smaller budget films like Article 15 (2019) and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020), which tackle pressing social issues like caste-based violence and homophobia exacerbated by the surge in right-wing extremism in India. In doing so, he elucidates the profound and far-reaching impact of Hindutva ideology on Indian cinematic narratives and aesthetics, while also considering the broader implications for Indian society as a whole.

By: Ajay Gehlawat (Sonoma State University USA)
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781350401884
ISBN 10: 1350401889
Series: World Cinema
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 13 June 2024
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction: The Modi-fication of Bollywood 1. From Metatext to Fascist Aesthetics: The Case of Sanjay Leela Bhansali 2. Modi’s Ad Man: Akshay Kumar 3. Modi’s Bhakt: Kangana Ranaut 4. The Kashmiri Pandit: Anupam Kher 5. Hope from the Hinterlands? Ayushmann Khurrana Conclusion: The Modi Question Filmography Bibliography Index

Ajay Gehlawat is Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Theatre and Film at Sonoma State University, USA. He is author of Twenty-First Century Bollywood (2015) and Reframing Bollywood (2010). He is the editor of The Slumdog Phenomenon (2013) and co-editor of The Evolution of Song and Dance in Hindi Cinema (2019).

Reviews for Bollypolitics: Popular Hindi Cinema and Hindutva

BollyPolitics is a compelling and contemporary critical reading of key Bollywood films and protagonists in the context of India’s political landscape and leadership. As insightful and revealing the book is about the workings of popular cinema, it is equally telling of the production of culture, representation and identities under particular political maneuvers. -- Rajinder Dudrah, Birmingham City University, UK This powerful ethnographic study of the Bollywood milieu is the first major work to capture the intimate ties between the Hindi film industry and the right-wing Hindu regime that now rules India. Through close readings of some crucial promoters and victims of this alignment, Gehlawat's story makes a chilling argument about the capture of an entertainment medium by a larger political regime of icons, images and narratives. -- Arjun Appadurai, NYU, USA