This dissertation endeavors to examine the existence of cultural imperialism in 21st century film on India. Evaluating two films, the British film "Slumdog Millionaire" and the Indian film "Swades", this study attempts to consider both perspectives of the ‘other’.
A subordinate representation of Indian education, culture and women in "Slumdog Millionaire" continues the imperial attitude towards India. Although signs of a national culture are present in the film "Swades", the Indian film also contributes to the existence of cultural imperialism. This is done by sustaining the imperial attitude through representations of alienation towards the Indian identity. Scholars Edward W. Said and Gayatri Spivak help in the analyses of subordinate representation in the British film. Similarly, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Frantz Fanon form the basis for the analyses of alienation and national culture in the Indian film. Although varying in opinion, these authors have come together in this study to highlight the presence of cultural imperialism in contemporary films on India.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE Cultural Imperialism As a Postcolonial Concept
CHAPTER TWO British Cinema The subordinate representation of India
19th Century Description of Subordination
Continuation of the Imperial Attitude
21st Century Representations of Subordination
Representation of Education and Culture
Representation of the Indian Woman
Cultural Imperialism in Contemporary British Cinema
CHAPTER THREE Indian Cinema: Alienation From one’s identity
Sustaining the Imperial Attitude
Representation of Annihilation in Swades
Representations of National Culture
Cultural Imperialism in Contemporary Indian Cinema
CONCLUSION
Objectives and Research Themes
This dissertation examines the persistent presence of cultural imperialism in 21st-century cinema, specifically exploring how films portray India through the lens of postcolonial theory by analyzing both British and Indian perspectives.
- The theoretical foundation of postcolonialism and cultural imperialism
- Subordinate representations of India in British contemporary film
- The dynamics of self-alienation and the "cultural bomb" in Indian cinema
- The juxtaposition of national identity and colonial legacies
- A comparative analysis of the films Slumdog Millionaire and Swades
Excerpt from the Book
19th Century Description of Subordination
Commencing with the art of description, the first term of rhetoric that requires attention is the title of the movie. The title ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is evidence in itself of the subordinate description an Indian identity holds in the eye of the British imperialist. For starters, the term Slumdog is a British conception given to the Indian individual living in the slums of Mumbai. The use of the word ‘dog’ speaks volumes for this attitude of subordination the coloniser has towards its colony. The following word, Millionaire, although seemingly superior, powerful and refreshing, does nothing to retreat from this inferior idea. In fact the title intends to act as an oxymoron, further degrading the Indian identity. This can be understood from a line spoken at the beginning of the film, “What the hell can a Slumdog possibly know?” (Slumdog Millionaire, 2008). The entire film is made to constantly question the possibility of a boy from the slums winning ten million Rupees on a general knowledge TV show, treating the occasion as an ironic event. The police in the film are convinced with the idea that, “the slumdog has cheated” (Slumdog Millionaire, 2008). Taking the boy from the slums as a depiction of Indian identity, the theme of the movie illustrates the ‘other’ as an impoverished, uneducated individual who is a potential fraud. Said examines the vocabulary used in classic 19th century imperial culture, stating that it is “plentiful with such words and concepts as ‘inferior’ or ‘subject races’, ‘subordinate peoples’, ‘dependency’, ‘expansion’, and ‘authority’” (Said, 1994: 8). However, considering the end of formal rule is well established in the 21st century, the way of perceiving cultural imperialism has become less evident in description and more transparent in representation. Imperial description transforms into the postcolonial form of imperial representation in the 21st century. Therefore Said’s idea of 19th century vocabulary can be translated to 21st century representation.
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: Outlines the conceptual framework of imperialism and postcolonial theory, establishing the necessity of analyzing both the colonizer's perspective and the self-perception of the colonized.
CHAPTER ONE Cultural Imperialism As a Postcolonial Concept: Defines cultural imperialism as a constructed attitude formed by colonial legacies that persist in shaping the contemporary relationship between the West and the "other."
CHAPTER TWO British Cinema The subordinate representation of India: Investigates the British perspective in Slumdog Millionaire, arguing that the film perpetuates imperial attitudes through depictions of poverty, violence, and the need for external aid.
CHAPTER THREE Indian Cinema: Alienation From one’s identity: Analyzes the Indian film Swades, exploring how it simultaneously showcases national culture while sustaining colonial alienation, as defined by Ngugi wa Thiong'o's "cultural bomb."
CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, asserting that cultural imperialism remains a potent force in 21st-century film through the dual mechanisms of subordination and self-alienation.
Keywords
Cultural imperialism, Postcolonial theory, Slumdog Millionaire, Swades, Indian cinema, British cinema, Subordination, Alienation, Cultural bomb, National culture, Representation, Identity, Edward W. Said, Gayatri Spivak, Frantz Fanon
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The dissertation examines how cultural imperialism persists in 21st-century films about India, specifically through a comparative analysis of British and Indian perspectives.
Which films serve as the primary case studies?
The study evaluates the 2008 British film "Slumdog Millionaire" directed by Danny Boyle and the 2004 Indian film "Swades" directed by Ashutosh Gowariker.
What is the core research question?
The research asks: How can cultural imperialism be perceived within contemporary films on India?
What methodology is employed to analyze these films?
The work utilizes postcolonial theory, drawing upon the frameworks of Edward W. Said, Gayatri Spivak, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, and Frantz Fanon to analyze representation, subordination, and alienation.
How is cultural imperialism defined in this work?
It is defined as a constructed imperial attitude or a compilation of rhetoric that maintains Western hegemony long after the formal end of colonization.
Which themes characterize this dissertation?
Central themes include the subordinate representation of the "other," the "cultural bomb" theory of self-annihilation, the role of national culture, and the paternalistic narrative of Western intervention.
Why does the author argue that studying only one perspective is insufficient?
The author uses a "pie" analogy to argue that viewing the issue only from the British or only from the Indian perspective leads to an incomplete understanding of how the imperial attitude is sustained.
What specific role does the Indian woman play in this analysis?
The analysis compares the representation of women as "mute subalterns" in British film against the portrayal of powerful, culturally active female figures in Indian cinema.
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- Tanya Keswani (Autor), 2013, Cultural Imperialism and the Image of India in British and Indian Cinema, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/539657
