SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Bollywood movies have long been known for their colourful song-and-dance numbers and knack of combining drama, comedy, action-adventure and music. But these films rarely reflect the reality of life on the Indian subcontinent. In this book Rachel Dwyer argues that Hindi cinema’s interpretations of India over the last two decades are our most reliable guide to understanding the nation’s changing hopes and dreams. Bollywood’s India looks at the ways in which Bollywood has imagined and portrayed the unity and diversity of India: what its people believe and feel; their views on religion, caste and politics; life at home and in public. Based on twenty years of watching, teaching and writing about Hindi films, working with filmmakers and discussions with critics and fans, Dwyer’s book has much to say to scholars and students of Indian cinema who are curious about the ways in which aspects of Indian life and culture are shown on screen, as well as to the general reader and fan of world cinema.