Bollywood Cinema: A Transnational/Cultural Role

Abstract

There has always been a strong link between India’s social and political history and Bollywood cinema. Within the context of the nationalist movement in India, Bollywood cinema has played an important role in constructing various dichotomies such as tradition/modernity, Indian/Western and spiritual/material. By negotiating with these binaries, Bollywood narratives have contributed to the dialogue on women’s roles and position in Indian society. In the past, Bollywood filmmakers were faithful to representations of women who were bound by patriarchal structures in the sense that they were expected to be loyal to ancient Indian traditions and belief systems. Based on the increase in Indian migration, contemporary Bollywood filmmakers are now catering to the demands of the Indian diaspora and therefore, a more global market. Diasporic Bollywood films provide audiences with material that suggests re-thinking patriarchal structures in a transnational world. This article examines the impact that trans-nationalism has had on the Indian diaspora and the manner in which this translates into the narratives and representations of female characters in popular Bollywood films. Through the progression of time, Bollywood cinema has evolved. As a result, it has become a transnational/cultural role player for Indian audiences worldwide.

Opsomming

Daar was nog altyd ‘n sterk verband tussen Indië se sosiale en politieke geskiedenis en Bollywoodfilms. Bollywoodfilms het binne die konteks van die nasionalistiese beweging in Indië ʼn belangrike rol gespeel om verskillende digotomieë saam te voeg, onder andere tradisie/moderniteit, Indies/Westers en spiritueel/materieel. Narratiewe in Bollywoodfilms het binne die omtrekke van hierdie binêre pare rond-beweeg om sodoende by te dra tot die gesprek oor vrouens se rolle en posisies in die Indiese samelewing. Bollywoodfilmmakers het in die verlede getrou gebly aan uitbeeldings wat vroue ingeperk het binne patriargale strukture, deurdat daar van hulle verwag is om lojaal te wees aan outydse Indiese tradisies en geloofsisteme. Die toename in Indiërmigrasie het veroorsaak dat huidige Bollywood-filmmakers nou meer omsien na die behoeftes van die Indiese diaspora en dus meer gerig is op ʼn globale mark. Diasporiese Bollywoodfilms gee aan gehore materiaal wat patriargale strukture in ʼn transnasionale wêreld oopstel vir herbetragting. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die impak wat transnasionalisme gehad het op die Indiese diaspora en die wyse waarop hierdie aspek uiting kry in die narratiewe en uitbeeldings van vroulike karakters in populêre Bollywoodfilms. Bollywoodfilms het met die verloop van tyd ontwikkel en as gevolg daarvan het dit ʼn transnasionale/kulturele rolspeler vir Indiese gehore wêreldwyd geword.