Indian Film Stars: New Critical Perspectives

265 Pages·2020·4.739 MB·English

by  Michael Lawrence

Indian Film Stars
ii
Indian
Film Stars
New Critical
Perspectives
Edited by
Michael Lawrence
THE BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE
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For Om Puri (1950–2017) and Sridevi (1963–2018)
vi
Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Contributors xi
Acknowledgements xv
Introduction Michael Lawrence 1
1 Shanta Apte and the unexpected Anupama Kapse 15
2 Confessions of Indian cinema’s first woman superstar: Kanan Devi’s
memoirs, film history and digital archives Ranita Chatterjee 31
3 Star’s ‘dust’: Miss Kumari and the fossilized memory of the
‘first Malayalam female star’ Darshana Sreedhar Mini 45
4 In the wink of an eye: The comedic universe of Johnny Walker
Radha Dayal 59
5 Dharmendra Singh Deol: Masculinity and the late-Nehruvian hero in
Hindi cinema Anustup Basu 73
6 Rajkumar and the Kannada-language film M. K. Raghavendra 87
7 The feudal lord reincarnate: Mohanlal and the politics of Malayali
masculinity Meena T. Pillai 99
8 From Gandhi to Jinnah: National dilemmas in the stardom of
Rattan Kumar Salma Siddique 109
9 From Son of India to teen king: Sajid Khan and transnational stardom
Meenasarani Linde Murugan 125
10 Harbhajan Maan: The transnational migrant success story of
Punjabi cinema Harjant S. Gill 137
viii Contents
11 Helen: The Chin Chin Chu girl Sudesh Mishra 151
12 ‘She’s everything that’s unpardonable’: Hema Malini, dream girl on
a motorbike Rosie Thomas 163
13 Sridevi, queen of farce: Comedy, performance and star persona in
popular Hindi cinema Nandana Bose 181
14 The irresistible badness of Salman Khan Shohini Ghosh 193
15 Shah Rukh Khan starring as Shah Rukh Khan: Performance style,
audience expectation and self-parody Charlie Henniker 205
16 The curious case of Katrina Kaif: NRI stardom and ethnicity in
Bollywood Midath Hayder 219
Index 232
Illustrations
1.1 Shanta Apte and Shahu Modak, pictured 8.2 Poster of Jagriti (1954), Filmfare, 4
together in the booklet for Shyam Sundar February 1955. 116
(1932). 17 9.1 Sajid Khan as Raji in Maya (John Berry,
1.2 Durga Khote, Shanta Apte and Vasanthi in 1966). 126
Amar Jyoti (1936). Public domain. 18 9.2 Sajid Khan performing ‘Getting to Know
1.3 Shanta Apte as Niru. Booklet cover for You’ on American Bandstand (ABC, 27
Duniya Na Mane (1937). 23 July 1968). 131
1.4 ‘The Adventure of the Stick’. Cartoon 10.1 Harbhajan Maan with his wife Harminder
in The Times of India, 7 August 1937, Kaur Maan at a publicity event for his 2009
p. 18. 25 film Heer Ranjha. 138
1.5 ‘Shanta Saves a Soul’. Advertisement 10.2 Maan being interviewed on PTC Punjabi
in The Times of India, 7 August 1937, News Channel at a publicity event for his
p. 18. 25 2009 film Heer Ranjha. 139
1.6 Apte pictured with a whip in the booklet 10.3 Guggu Gill (left) and Yograj Singh (right)
cover for Swayamsiddha (1949). 27 faceoff in a revenge-themed Punjabi
1.7 Shanta Apte and M. S. Subbulakshmi in film Anakh Jattan Di (Ego of Jats) from
Savitri (1941). 28 1990. 141
3.1 Miss Kumari in Anavalarthiya Vanambadi 11.1 Gumnaam (Raja Nawathe, 1965). 158
(P. Subramanyam, 1960). 50 11.2 Don (Chandra Barot, 1978). 162
4.1 Naya Daur (New Times, Baldev Raj 12.1 Postcard of Hema Malini bought on
Chopra, 1957). 63 Bombay streets in 1980. 164
4.2 Pyaasa (The Thirsty One, Guru Dutt, 13.1 Sridevi’s memorable impersonation of
1957). 66 Charlie Chaplin’s The Tramp in Shekhar
4.3 Pyaasa (The Thirsty One, Guru Dutt, Kapur’s Mr. India (1987). 185
1957). 66 13.2 Unusual, decentred edge-of-frame
4.4 Pyaasa (The Thirsty One, Guru Dutt, composition of a female star that
1957). 69 showcases her expressive range in a song
7.1 Mohanlal. 100 picturization from Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka
8.1 ‘Star Profile’, Filmfare, 16 September Raja (Satish Kaushik, 1993). 186
1954. 113 14.1 Salman Khan. 196