Reading 'Bollywood' The Young Audience and Hindi Films [Hardcover]

This book explores representations of gender, sexuality and ethnicity in Hindi films, in the socio-political context and in terms of how young audiences in India and the UK construct them. In-depth interviews, observations and photographs provide insights into spectatorship and comparison with theories about Hindi film and popular culture.Preface List of Illustrations Hindi Films: Theoretical Debates and Textual Studies Audiences and Hindi Films: Contemporary Studies Hindi Film-Going and the Viewing Context in Two Countries 'A Man Who Smokes Should Never Marry A Village Girl' : Comments on Courtship and Marriage Bollywood-Style Short Skirts, Long Veils and Dancing Men: Responses to Dress and the Body More or Less Spicy Kisses: Responses to Sex, Love and Sexuality Politics and Spectatorship 1: Viewing Love, Religion and Ethnic Violence Politics and Spectatorship 2: Young Men Viewing Terrorism and State Violence Conclusion: The Tricky Politics of Viewing Pleasure Notes Bibliography Filmography Index

'Her [Banaji's] book is theoretically well grounded, both in debates concerning Hindi films and in audience studies more generally.' - Par St?hlberg, Young (Nordic Journal of Youth Research)

'Banaji's insightful account in Reading 'Bollywood' enables a substantially finer appreciation of the practices of film-viewing among youth audiences in India and the UK. The refreshing approach and analysis set out in this book compel a serious reconsideration of theories around spectatorship, ideology, identity, and agency. An important contribution to film and cultural studies.'

- Rashmi Sawhney, Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland

'This is a really brave book: brave in its exploration of responses to Bollywood films among Indians in Bombay and London; brave in its range exploring both personal and political aspects in them; and brave in its honest admission when findings challenge her expectations. Banaji's book is al£z