Indian Popular Cinema: A Narrative of Cultural Change PDF
Preview Indian Popular Cinema: A Narrative of Cultural Change
Indian Popular Cinema - a narrative of cultural change K. Motl Gokulslng ;I?' University of East London, London, UK and Wlmal Dlssanayake East West Center, University of Hawaii rm Trentham Books Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN -- --- - INDIAN POPULAR CINEMA - A NARRATIVE OF CULTURAL CHANGE Firsl published in 1998 by Trentham Books Limi1cd Trenlham Books Limi1ed Westview House 734 London Road Oakhill Stoke on Trent Slafford,hire England ST4 5NP I() K. Mo1i Gokulsing and Wimal Dissanayake 1998 All righ1s rc'4!rvs-d. No pan of lhis publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing ii in any medium by electronic means and whelher or nol transienlly or incidentally 10 some other use of lhis publica1ion) without the prior wrinen permission of 1hc copyright owner. except in accordance wi1h the provision of the Copyright. Designs and Palcnl, Act 1988 or under lhc terms of a licence is.sued by the Copyrighl Licensing Agency. 90 Tottenham Coun Road. London WI P 9HE. Applicalions for the Copyright owner's written pcrmis.,ion 10 reproduce any pan of this publica1ion should be addressed in lhc firsl in, 1ancc 10 lhc publisher. British Cataloguing In Publlcadon Data A ca1aloguc rcconl for lhis book is a,·ailablc from 1he Bri1i,h Lihrary ISBN I ll5X56 096 9 Photograph credits: Photogrdphs on pages 2!1 ..1 1. 4.l 69. 71. 92. 10!1. 129. co,·er and back cover hy counesy of Bri1ish Film lns1i1u1c cBFI Stills. Poslcrs and Designs) Pholllgraph, on page, x and 72 hy counc,y of Bomhay Cine S,-.:icly Photograph on page 'I by counesy of Rinki Roy Bhattacharya Dt:,igncd and 1ypcsc1 hy Trenlham Print Design Lid .. Chester and prin1ed in (ircal Briiain hy The Cromwell Pres, Lid .. Willshire IV Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - p ;Y/?,4 -31-112851 · Pliea:t; 06,Cf.qi This book is dedicated to the memory of beloved parents Kumar and Jankee Gokulsing. We thank our respective families: Sita, Shishana and Nishani Ramphul Gokulsing and Doreen, Niru and Sudeera Dissanayake for their patience and understanding while we were working on this book. V Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN CONTENTS Acknowledgements ix Glossary xi Introduction I Map of India 3 PART I Chapter I The Beginnings 7 Chapter 2 The Distinctiveness of Indian Popular Cinema 23 PART II Chapter 3 Cinema and Society in India 37 Chapter4 Religion, Ethnicity and Caste in Indian Cinema 53 Chapter 5 Women in Indian Cinema 75 Chapter6 Styles and Techniques 91 Chapter 7 Recent Developments in Popular Indian Cinema I 03 Chapter8 Regional Cinemas of India 123 Chapter 9 Conclusion 133 Appendix: NFDC Bombay 137 References and Further Reading 139 .. VII Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN VIII Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Acknowledgements Sources and materials about Indian Cinema are fragmentary and scattered. Consequently, in putting together this general introduction to the Indian Popular Cinema, we have incurred debts of gratitude to a substantial number of people, too many to name individually. The following, however, have helped with both their time and ideas on more than one occassion: Cary Baudgette and Christine James of the British Film Institute (BFI, London) provided us with the incentive to write this book and gave us some critical feedback in the initial stages. Staff at the BFI Library have also been very helpful. Dr David Brottman of the University of East London helped by suggesting a framework for the book and providing critical feedback on an earlier draft of the first part of the book. S. Vidyarthi of Books from India Ltd shared with us his encyclopaedic knowledge of Indian Cinema. Ravi Vasudevan has made very useful comments and Professor Swnita Cbakravarty has given advice about sources. Rinki Roy Bhattacharya has been instrumental in carrying out interviews for us with Jagdeep and Johnny Walker, and acting as a link person for us in Bombay. She has also made comments on some aspects of the draft. Munni Kabir, whose substantial knowledge of Indian Cinema is a boon to anyone working in this area. Amit Bose, the former Chief Editor to Bimal Roy, has been particularly helpful in clarifying certain issues. Iqbal Masud, the noted Indian film critic, has been generous with his feed back. Cornel DaCosta for his steadfast support. ix Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN INDIAN POPULAR CINEMA -A NARRATIVE OF CULTURAi. {KANG£ The Centre ror South Asian Studies and. in panicular. Pro(essor McGinnety and Dr. D. Gosling. for sponsoring the book. Wendy Childs of the Department of Education and Community Studies at the University of East London helped with the wordprocessing. Dr and Mrs D.A. Turner applied their sound knowledge of computers and design to give the book its shape. Mr S. Bissoondoyal of the Mauritius Examinations Syndicate was kind enough to underwrite the publication of the book in his capacity as chainnan of the Editions de l'Ocean lndien and Gillian Klein, the Editorial Director of Trentham Books. has brought a breath of fresh air 10 the book through her rigorous editorial feedback. Although the help and support of the people mentioned above are gratefully acknowledged, they arc all, according to the publishing tradition, absolved from culpability for any errors or omissions which may remain. We, the named authors, take full responsibility for the book. fromSavitri Google Original from Oigib,ed by UNIVERSITI OF MICHIGAN Glossary Tiris glossary is highly selective, but it contains much of the basic terminology used in this book. Advaita Bhakta A school of philosophy which says A devotee that God and Man are one, not two Bhakti Abimsa Spiritual devotion Non-violence Bhangra Alap Popular music originating in the Introductory section of a raga Punjab, North India Atma Bharata Natyam The individual soul in each being Dance style from South India Atman Brahma Another name for the Brahman, the The Creator in the Hindu Trinity Universal Spirit Brahman Avatar One of four major caste groups. Incarnation of God on earth Brahmans are the highest caste group Backward climes Crore Members of Scheduled Castes and A unit of measure equal to 10 million other low-ranking and disadvantaged rupees (or 100 Lakh) groups (sometimes referred to as Other Dallt Backward Classes) Sanskrit word meaning split, broken Bbagavad Gita but now refers to untouchables The song of the Lord, containing Lord (Harijans) Krishna's advice to Arjuna on the Darshan battlefield Means to see. The act of Darshan has Btutjan great significance in Hindu religion Hindu devotional song XI Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN INDIAN POPULAR CINEMA - A NARRATIVE OF CULTURAL CHANGE Dbanna Karma Yoga Has a variety of meanings - may mean The path to God through devotion to religion, duty, law. morality. a divinely duty ordained code of proper conduct Krishna Devadasi Epic hero of India A girl dedicated to temple, religious Lakh establishment or deity to serve for life A unit of measure equal to I0 0.000 Ghazal rupees Form of Arabic or Persian poetry LakshmJ which has become a popular song form Goddess of beauty. prosperity and in North India wealth Guru Granth Sahib Mantra Holy Book of the Sikhs Sacred formula addressed to any deity, Indra mystical verse, syllables recited to A Vedic deity of clouds. rain and acquire super national powers, magical thunder formula Jati Manusmriti A kind of social group. Hindu society An ancient classical work dealing is comprised of several jatis with law, ethics, morality, customs and so on Jatra A very popular traditional drama form Maya of Bengal known for its 'high-pitch All pervading divine power of illusion dialogue delivery and equally loud and which obstructs perception of reality melodramatic acting· of being Kall Moksha Dark-complexioned ferocious deity! Final liberation of the soul Kathak Nautanki A classical dance evolved by the A musical folk drama of North India traditional story tellers of North India Patni KamaSutra Woman as a wife Unique Indian work on the art of love Parvati written by Maharshi Vatsyayana in the Consort of Shiva. Also known as early centuries of Christian era Durga. Khali Karma Puja/Pooja One's actions. duty. It is related to the Offering of flowers. leaves. fruits. idea of heaven and hell as well as re music and so on to god birth XII Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
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