Date of Award
December 2018
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Media Studies
Advisor(s)
Carol Liebler
Second Advisor
Robert Thompson
Keywords
Bollywood, film advertising, film promotion, Masculinity, nationalism, Shah Rukh Khan
Subject Categories
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Abstract
Following a growing public discussion on violence against women in India, some commentators have turned their eye upon Bollywood. The film industry’s role in perpetuating models of courtship based on the stalking and harassment of women has drawn criticism from several quarters. While there has been much said about the depiction of women in Bollywood film, there has been relatively less said on portrayals of masculinity. The research that does exist focuses on textual analyses of films, or looks at masculinity through the lens of global capital flows. This thesis instead, analyzes trailers, posters, promotional pictures and social media for the film Raees (dir. Rahul Dholakia), to examine the construction of masculinity in Bollywood film promotional material. Promotional content tends to recreate masculine tropes that were found to be prevalent in textual analyses of Bollywood films. All promotional formats continued to reiterate male dominance, stereotyped Muslim men as violent and promoted nationalism. A new theme that emerged was the appropriation and commodification of Muslim masculinity, an outcome of Bollywood’s role in driving consumerism in India post economic liberalization.
Access
Open Access
Recommended Citation
Lobo, Alyssa Grace, "Constructions of Masculinity in Bollywood Promotional Content" (2018). Theses - ALL. 290.
https://surface.syr.edu/thesis/290
