Saba Naqvi of Outlook asserts:

My more earnest/ideological friends and relatives grumble that Shahrukh inhabits a no-man’s bubble gum land on celluloid and has played a role in divesting movies of all social context. I say, hey, get a life! Movies are for fun and there are others who make gritty realistic movies (that are no fun for kids). My own sociological research of tiny tots at birthday parties has led me to conclude that little girls in particular are die-hard Shahrukh fans because most of his films are free of violence and even the romance is so unrealistic that it could be straight out of a fairy tale. Little boys on the other hand are often fans of action heroes like Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan (must be the muscles). (link)

Groan, cringe!

Here’s an interesting article on the politics of Bollywood. Refreshing to be seen in mainstream media.

The questions to ask about a Bollywood film are not whether they are aesthetically good or bad, but how  effective they are socially and politically. Do they add strength to caste society and its institutions? Or do they promote sexual freedom and social anarchy? Artistically, Bollywood films are meaningless.

(Link)

Embedding is disallowed by our friends at Eros Entertainment. But do watch this and be amazed (link).

Silhouette is a lively film magazine with a range of interesting articles published from Kolkata (Calcutta) and is available free as an ebook. To obtain it email Amitava Nag (amitava.nag@gmail.com) or download it from its home at Wikidot (link).

Calling all fanatical and passionate film producers, flamboyant cultivators of the moving image! Five Minutes of Fire challenges you to create and submit short films around the theme of desire. Part of ‘The Compass of Desire Festival’, Five Minutes of Fire will bring together film-makers from far and wide to exhibit their work here in Bristol, UK. [Read more →]

Call For Papers – Special Issue of Wide Screen [Read more →]

Editor: Leah A. Murray

In 2008 we saw a continuation and maybe even an acceleration of the trend of popular culture having a real effect on politics. From The Daily Show ,to Obama’s Blackberry, to candidates’ use of Facebook and MySpace, we have seen politics opening up to new ways of thinking and acting as we come online for the next generation. As this next generation grows up in a politicized popular world (or perhaps a popularized political world) where issues like torture are dealt with on shows like 24 and we have fictional presidents on The West Wing who deal with real-life policy choices, it is in our interest to understand how this coverage affects the discourse. This edited collection seeks to enhance the discussion of the popular culture effect on our understanding of politics. [Read more →]