“Bollywood” the Subject of Lecture at Carleton College

“Bollywood,” the very popular Hindi-language film industry in India, will be the focus of a lecture by Carleton College professor Arnab Chakladar on Tuesday, May 12 at 4 p.m. in the Gould Library Athenaeum. Entitled “Why all the Song and Dance? Taking Bollywood Seriously,” Chakladar’s presentation will discuss one of the most recognizable features of popular Hindi cinema:  the song and dance sequence. Since these sequences are both entrancing and perplexing for so many Westerners, Chakladar will aim to decode their role in Bollywood films, while providing some fun along the way. This event is free and open to the public.

While often considered “kitsch” by Westerners, the song and dance routines commonly performed in Bollywood cinema are a critical component of Indian culture and it is important to fully understand their meaning. To do so, Chakladar will trace the origins of the song and dance routine along with the rising popularity of Hindi cinema, from India’s colonial period to today. His fun and informative presentation will include close-readings of a number of on-screen performances, along with in-depth discussion.

Chakladar is an assistant professor of English, teaching and writing on South Asian literature and film, and postcolonial studies. He has published on the marketing of Indian literature, the novels of Shashi Deshpande, and multilingual publishing and translation on the Web. He is the founder of AnotherSubcontinent.com, an online journal and forum on South Asian society and culture.

Professor Chakladar’s talk is sponsored by the Carleton College Department of English. For more information, including disability accommodations, call (507) 222-4322.