Rachel Dwyer is hoogleraar Indiase culturen en film aan de SOAS in Londen. Haar werk richt zich op de analyse van de hedendaagse Indiase film, waarbij ze de culturele, sociale en politieke dimensies ervan onderzoekt. Dwyer richt zich in haar literaire werk voornamelijk op hoe film de Indiase samenleving weerspiegelt en vormt.
Focuses on the visual culture of Indian cinema, specifically Bombay-based cinema since 1913. Drawing on a range of sources, this title examines Bombay cinema's unique styles, genres and themes, tracing its roots in early photography, theatre and chromolithography and its development as a visual regime that dominates Indian popular culture.
Exploring the evolution of Indian cinema, this book delves into the representation of religion and deities from the silent film era to contemporary Bollywood's vibrant productions. It highlights how filmmakers have depicted spiritual themes and divine figures, reflecting cultural shifts and societal values throughout the decades. The narrative captures the intersection of art and faith, showcasing the significance of religious imagery in shaping cinematic storytelling.
Bollywood movies have long been known for their colorful song-and-dance numbers and knack for combining drama, comedy, action-adventure, and music. But these exciting and often amusing films rarely reflect the reality of life on the Indian subcontinent. Exploring the nature of mainstream Hindi cinema, the strikingly illustrated Bollywood’s India examines its nonrealistic depictions of everyday life in India and what it reveals about Indian society. Showing how escapism and entertainment function in Bollywood cinema, Rachel Dwyer argues that Hindi cinema’s interpretations of India over the last two decades are a reliable guide to understanding the nation’s changing hopes and dreams. She looks at the ways Bollywood has imagined and portrayed the unity and diversity of the country―what it believes and feels, as well as life at home and in public. Using Dwyer’s two decades spent working with filmmakers and discussing movies with critics and moviegoers, Bollywood’s India is an illuminating look at Hindi cinema.
Hinduism is a much contested term used to describe the religious beliefs and practices of more than 800 million people, most of whom live in India. Yet Hinduism is a religion which lacks a set of core beliefs (there is no founder, no single scripture nor any central organisation).
Bollywood is the national cinema of India. This invaluable introduction to the best of the genre discusses the work of key directors, major stars, music directors, and screenplay writers. Historically important films have been included along with certain cult movies and top box office successes, including Mother India, the national epic of a peasant woman's struggle against nature and society; Sholay, a "curry western" where the all-star cast sing and dance; Dilwale Dulhaniya le jayenge, the greatest of the diaspora films in which two British Asians fall in love while vacationing in Europe before going to India, where they show their elders how to incorporate love into family traditions; Junglee, in which love transforms a savage who yells "Yahoo!" before singing and dancing like Elvis and creating a new youth culture; and Pyaasa, dramatically shot in black and white and portraying a romantic poet who suffers for his art in the material world.
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