Bollywood: Gods, Glamour, and Gossip - Paperback

by Kush Varia (Author)

While we have become familiar with the idea of "Bollywood" here in the West, we know little about the industry's films beyond a certain celebration of kitsch. Bollywood, the latest in Wallflower Press's Short Cuts introductory series, surveys this style of filmmaking from its origins in colonial times to the present, tracing its impact on both the Indian and global imagination. Chapters explore the history and workings of the industry, the narratives and aesthetics of its films, varieties within the genre, the cultural connotations of specific characters, its larger-than-life stars, and its hybrid and surprising fan cultures. Readings of popular and widely available films illustrate the importance of the cinema's conventions, which range from romantic clichés to a constant negotiation between tradition and modernity.

Author Biography

Kush Varia is an independent scholar who gained his Masters from the British Film Institute and Birkbeck College, University of London. He has worked as a researcher for the British Universities Film and Video Council, an archive producer for BBC Motion Gallery and as a visiting lecturer in Film Studies at Roehampton University.