Cinema India

(Paperback)

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Now nearly 100 years old, Indian cinema is one of India's most vibrant cultural products as well as being the world's most prolific, at its peak producing an estimated 800 films a year. "Cinema India" concentrates on the visual culture of Indian film. Drawing on a wide range of resources, this text traces the roots of Indian cinema in early photography, theatre and chromo-lithography, examines its unique styles, modes, genres and themes, and describes its development into the dominant visual form within Indian popular culture. The text considers mise-en-scene, looking at sets, locations and costumes, which are key to understanding ideas of fashion, lifestyle and consumption in the world of Hindi movies; examines the use of clothing, hairstyles and make-up to discuss changing ideas of beauty, sexuality and consumerism; and looks at the "dare to bare" debate surrounding the swimsuit and the wet sari. Another important strand considered is film advertising: by considering all forms of publicity material the authors reveal the interactions between star's image, artist and film-producer, which may not only affect the design of the material but also have a direct influence on the content of the film. Other crucial elements in Indian cinema that are discussed are ethnicity and Westernization, which highlight issues of class, caste, region and religion in this most complex, intriguing and little-known visual forms.

Reviews

written in a clear and accessible style ... It is also exceptionally well-illustrated ... In extending their analysis to extra-filmic discourses, Dwyer and Patel show how movie imagery permeates into the wider culture and society. Film International a most welcome book ... full of information and delightful illustrations of Hindi film stars and sets of major, even path-breaking productions, both in color and in black and white, that elicit nostalgic memories ... a must read for Hindi film fans and for students and scholars in film studies and visual studies Journal of Asian Studies a rich and substantive analysis ... informative and interesting Contemporary South Asia

Author Bio

Rachel Dwyer is a lecturer in Gujarati and Indian Studies at SOAS, University of London. Divia Patel is a curatorial assistant in the Indian and South-East Asian Department at the Victoria & Albert Museum.