Introduction: “The Popular Hindi Film: Ideology and First Principles” by Ashis Nandy
“The Popular Hindi Film: Ideology and First Principles” by Ashis Nandy first appeared in the India International Centre Quarterly in March 1981 (Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 89–96) as part of the issue titled Indian Popular Cinema: Myth, Meaning and Metaphor. This seminal essay critically examines the ideological underpinnings and structural principles of mainstream Hindi cinema, particularly the Bombay film industry. Nandy characterizes these films as “spectacles” rather than artistic endeavors, drawing parallels with Roland Barthes’ notion of mythologized wrestling, where “black is black and white is white” and moral ambiguity is eschewed for clear-cut archetypes. He argues that Hindi films are antipsychological, focusing on the viewer’s inner life rather than the character’s development, often relying on “coincidences, accidents,” and melodramatic overstatement. Nandy highlights their role as a “new folk medium” for an evolving society grappling with modernity and tradition, portraying characters as types abstracted from historical realities. This analysis underscores the cultural and mythological continuity in Hindi cinema, offering a framework to interpret its popularity as a “necessary new folk medium” for Indian sociocultural landscape.
Summary of “The Popular Hindi Film: Ideology and First Principles” by Ashis Nandy
- Hindi Cinema as a Spectacle, Not an Artistic Endeavor
Nandy argues that popular Hindi films are spectacles, emphasizing exaggerated and melodramatic stylizations rather than artistic subtleties. They aim to create an emotional impact through overstatement, presenting clear moral binaries like “black is black and white is white” (p. 90). This approach aligns with Roland Barthes’ concept of mythology in freestyle wrestling. - Focus on Viewer’s Inner Life
Unlike modern narratives that explore character development, Hindi films focus on the audience’s emotional engagement. Characters act as conduits for situations, with minimal psychological depth, reinforcing what Nandy terms “antipsychological” storytelling (p. 90). - Predictable Climax Over Narrative Innovation
The films rely on familiar storylines and known themes, often borrowed from traditional tales or earlier movies. Their appeal lies in a sense of déjà vu, where predictability and repetition evoke comfort and cultural continuity (p. 91). - Ahistorical and Synchronic Narratives
Popular Hindi films abstract characters and stories from specific historical or cultural contexts. Heroes and heroines embody archetypes devoid of regional or caste markers, creating a “timeless” mythological quality (p. 93). This abstraction allows broad identification while preserving cultural archetypes. - Gendered Archetypes and Representations
Nandy critiques the portrayal of women, who are often dichotomized as “good” or “bad” figures. Negative traits are externalized, with characters like vamps symbolizing fears of feminine power. This simplification ensures conflicts are resolved without psychological ambiguity (p. 94). - Mediation Between Tradition and Modernity
The films act as cultural mediators, integrating modern or Western influences into traditional Indian frameworks. For example, love marriages are legitimized through narrative devices like heroic sacrifices or familial reconciliation, reflecting broader societal shifts (p. 95). - Fragmented Representations of Conflict
Nandy highlights how Hindi films externalize internal conflicts by creating polarized characters (hero vs. villain, mother-in-law vs. mother). These simplified dichotomies avoid blending psychological complexities, keeping the narrative structure cohesive (p. 96). - Cultural Significance as a Folk Medium
While critical of their artistic merit, Nandy acknowledges the role of Hindi films as a “necessary new folk medium” for a society coping with rapid social change. Their internal consistency and cultural resonance make them vital as symbolic expressions of collective concerns (p. 96).
Theoretical Terms/Concepts in “The Popular Hindi Film: Ideology and First Principles” by Ashis Nandy
| Theoretical Term/Concept | Explanation | Relevance to Popular Hindi Films |
| Spectacle | A spectacle prioritizes overstatement and exaggeration, focusing on the audience’s emotions rather than realistic or nuanced storytelling. | Hindi films emphasize melodrama, stark moral binaries (good vs. evil), and over-the-top storytelling to engage and entertain audiences. |
| Antipsychology | Characters are not developed psychologically; instead, situations are shaped by archetypal characters, who remain static. | Heroes are inherently good despite temporary flaws, and villains are inherently evil, avoiding psychological depth. |
| Timeless Synchronicity | The narrative is structured ahistorically, blending past, present, and future to emphasize archetypes and continuity over historical or cultural specificity. | Stories are cyclical and predictable, with preordained outcomes that reinforce moral certainties and cultural myths. |
| Typecasting | Characters are reduced to types or stereotypes, making them easily identifiable and predictable to the audience. | Heroes and heroines embody virtues, while villains and vamps represent threats to moral order. |
| Cultural Abstraction | Characters and stories are abstracted from specific historical, regional, or social contexts to achieve universal cultural appeal. | Heroes are regionless, casteless archetypes, allowing audiences to focus on moral and thematic elements rather than social particulars. |
| Mythic Structure | Stories in Hindi cinema echo mythological and epic traditions, presenting alternative universes filled with idealized and stereotypical roles. | Characters and plots mirror the structure of Indian epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, offering audiences a familiar moral and emotional framework. |
| Womanhood and the Vamp | Women are split into archetypes of “good” and “bad,” with vamps symbolizing feared aspects of femininity like seduction and aggression. | The vamp is externalized as a sociological “other,” distinct from the heroine, who embodies traditional virtues and reconciles modernity with tradition. |
| Coping with Westernization | Popular films address tensions between tradition and modernity by creating narratives that validate selective adoption of Western values while reinforcing Indian norms. | Moderate Westernization is portrayed positively through heroes and heroines, while excessive Westernization is demonized through villains and vamps. |
| Exaggeration and Melodrama | Overstatement is a key stylistic element, emphasizing emotional impact rather than realism or subtlety. | Theatrical elements such as dramatic confrontations, musical sequences, and climactic resolutions dominate Hindi films. |
| Depsychologization of Conflict | Conflicts are externalized, turning inner psychological struggles into external events or oppositions. | Heroes face external adversaries or misunderstandings rather than internal dilemmas, reinforcing clear moral distinctions. |
Contribution of “The Popular Hindi Film: Ideology and First Principles” by Ashis Nandy to Literary Theory/Theories
1. Structuralism:
- Concept of Mythic Structure:
Nandy aligns popular Hindi films with mythological storytelling, suggesting they follow archetypal patterns akin to epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata.- Reference: “Stories are modeled partly on timeless tales… stressing ineluctable continuity between past, present, and future.”
- Theoretical Link: This resonates with Claude Lévi-Strauss’s structuralist view of myths as systems of meaning that address universal human concerns.
- Synchronic Narrative:
Films are presented ahistorically, blending temporalities to emphasize moral and emotional continuity.- Reference: “The story line has to be synchronic and ahistorical… establishing continuity of expectation and symbolic resolution.”
- Theoretical Link: Structuralist emphasis on synchrony over diachrony (Saussure) is evident in how films rely on archetypes and fixed moral outcomes.
2. Psychoanalysis:
- Antipsychology in Spectacle:
Hindi films externalize inner psychological struggles, turning them into externalized conflicts or stereotyped roles.- Reference: “Films are concerned with the inner life of the viewer, not the characters… conflicts are depsychologized and managed through external narratives.”
- Theoretical Link: Aligns with psychoanalytic theory’s focus on symbolic representation of internal struggles, akin to Freud’s analysis of dream-work and repression.
- Splitting of Womanhood:
Women are split into binary archetypes—the “good” heroine embodying virtues and the “bad” vamp representing feared feminine traits.- Reference: “The bad women are externalized as vamps or cruel mothers-in-law… reflecting the Indian male’s fear of primitive femininity.”
- Theoretical Link: Mirrors psychoanalytic concepts of splitting (Klein) and projection of internal anxieties onto external figures.
- Negotiating Westernization:
Hindi films function as a cultural interface, mediating the conflict between traditional Indian values and Western modernity.- Reference: “Bombay films legitimize moderate Westernization while demonizing over-Westernized characters like the villain’s mistress.”
- Theoretical Link: Resonates with Homi Bhabha’s concept of hybridity, where cultural forms mediate the colonized and colonizer’s influences.
- Cultural Abstraction:
Films abstract characters and stories from specific historical or social contexts, creating archetypes that transcend regional identities.- Reference: “The hero is casteless, regionless, and ultimately ahistorical, allowing deeper cultural identification.”
- Theoretical Link: Aligns with Spivak’s ideas about subaltern representation, suggesting how popular media crafts identities in a postcolonial space.
4. Cultural Studies:
- Popular Culture as Meaning System:
Nandy elevates the status of Hindi cinema as a “necessary new folk medium,” functioning as a dominant myth-making system.- Reference: “The popular film is an internally consistent meaning system, offering an alternative folk culture.”
- Theoretical Link: Parallels Stuart Hall’s cultural studies, emphasizing how popular media produces and negotiates cultural ideologies.
- Audience Engagement through Familiarity:
Films are designed to evoke a sense of déjà vu by reconfiguring familiar tropes and archetypes.- Reference: “The story-writer operates in a consensual system that rejects the idea of originality; themes are reassembled for audience familiarity.”
- Theoretical Link: Relates to Hall’s encoding/decoding model, where media communicates shared cultural codes that audiences interpret within specific contexts.
5. Feminist Theory:
- Representation of Women:
Films perpetuate patriarchal norms by externalizing female threats to male stability as “vamps” or “bad mothers-in-law.”- Reference: “The vamp embodies traditional fears of feminine power—nurtural yet treacherous, active yet aggressive.”
- Theoretical Link: Connects to Laura Mulvey’s male gaze theory, where women are objectified and categorized to reinforce male fantasies and control.
6. Semiotics:
- Overstatement as a Semiotic Code:
The exaggerated emotional and moral clarity in films operates as a cultural sign system.- Reference: “Overstatement and melodrama are not taken literally but serve as stylized forms of expression.”
- Theoretical Link: Builds on Roland Barthes’ Mythologies, where cultural artifacts (e.g., films) operate as signs that communicate ideological meanings.
7. Reception Theory:
- Emotional Identification:
Hindi films prioritize audience engagement through archetypal conflicts and predictable climaxes.- Reference: “The films are designed to evoke participation, not by surprise, but through a predictable resolution of moral conflicts.”
- Theoretical Link: Resonates with Hans Robert Jauss’s reception theory, where the audience’s horizon of expectations shapes their engagement with the text.
Examples of Critiques Through “The Popular Hindi Film: Ideology and First Principles” by Ashis Nandy
| Literary Work | Critique through Nandy’s Lens | Relevant Concept |
| Shakespeare’s Macbeth | The moral transformation of Macbeth from noble to tyrant is psychological and gradual, unlike Hindi films where character changes are dramatic and antipsychological. | Antipsychology: Hindi films avoid nuanced internal struggles, preferring stark moral transitions. |
| Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina | Anna’s complex psychological conflict between love and societal expectations contrasts with Hindi films, where women are split into archetypes of “heroine” or “vamp.” | Splitting of Womanhood: Bollywood externalizes female conflicts, simplifying them into binaries. |
| Homer’s Odyssey | The journey of Odysseus, filled with inner conflict and moral ambiguity, is replaced in Hindi films by a hero who embodies timeless synchronicity and clear moral direction. | Timeless Synchronicity: Hindi heroes are morally constant archetypes, unbound by historical realism. |
| F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby | The nuanced depiction of Gatsby’s inner longing and the complexity of social class are absent in Hindi films, where class struggles are externalized into villain archetypes. | Externalization of Conflict: Internal struggles are depicted as external societal or villainous forces. |
Criticism Against “The Popular Hindi Film: Ideology and First Principles” by Ashis Nandy
- Overgeneralization of Hindi Cinema:
- Nandy critiques Hindi films as a homogenous entity, ignoring the diversity in themes, genres, and regional variations within Bollywood.
- The analysis does not account for progressive films that challenge the archetypal narratives he critiques.
- Limited Scope of Examples:
- The article relies heavily on “run-of-the-mill” films, excluding art cinema or hybrid genres that mix commercial and artistic elements, such as works by filmmakers like Hrishikesh Mukherjee or Shyam Benegal.
- Binary Categorization of Characters:
- The framework oversimplifies the portrayal of characters into binaries (e.g., hero/villain, good woman/vamp), ignoring nuanced characters that defy such strict archetypes.
- Neglect of Audience Agency:
- While emphasizing the emotional impact of films, Nandy does not sufficiently acknowledge the audience’s ability to interpret and critique these narratives critically.
- Cultural Relativism Concerns:
- Although Nandy denies being a cultural relativist, his approach to understanding Hindi cinema as a “folk medium” may inadvertently romanticize its shortcomings rather than engaging with them critically.
- Modernity vs. Tradition Dichotomy:
- The article simplifies the tension between modernity and tradition, presenting Hindi films as solely mediating this conflict rather than exploring how they might also reinforce or subvert these values.
- Ahistoricity as a Limitation:
- Nandy’s critique of Hindi cinema’s “ahistorical” storytelling fails to appreciate its potential to create a universal cultural resonance that transcends historical specificity.
- Neglect of Female Agency:
- While addressing gender representations, the article primarily critiques stereotypical portrayals without considering instances where heroines challenge traditional roles.
- Dismissal of Bollywood as an Art Form:
- By labeling Bollywood as a “spectacle” rather than an artistic endeavor, Nandy dismisses the potential for meaningful artistic and narrative contributions within the genre.
- Lack of Empirical Support:
- The analysis is based on theoretical observations rather than systematic empirical research or audience studies, limiting the robustness of its claims.
Representative Quotations from “The Popular Hindi Film: Ideology and First Principles” by Ashis Nandy with Explanation
| Quotation | Explanation |
| “The Bombay film is a spectacle, not an artistic endeavour.” | Nandy contrasts Bollywood’s purpose as a visual and emotional spectacle rather than as serious, introspective art. The emphasis is on exaggeration and melodrama to engage viewers. |
| “In a spectacle, black is black and white is white—emotionally, motivationally and morally.” | Spectacles avoid moral ambiguity, presenting characters and conflicts in binary terms. This aligns with the predictable good vs. evil dichotomy in Hindi films. |
| “Characters do not develop through situations in these films, rather, the situations develop through the characters.” | Bollywood narratives rely on archetypal characters who drive the story, unlike modern fiction where characters evolve through events. |
| “Such antipsychology follows directly from the nature of the Bombay film as a spectacle.” | Nandy critiques Hindi films for eschewing psychological depth, instead focusing on externalized, dramatic conflicts to create emotional impact. |
| “The popular film tries to be convincing as a spectacle by exaggeration.” | Bollywood’s stylistic reliance on overstatement, including melodramatic acting and implausible coincidences, is deliberate to create an emotionally immersive experience. |
| “The viewer is actually expected to know these elements by heart and to experience in the films a feeling of déjà vu.” | Bollywood films frequently recycle familiar tropes and themes, creating a sense of comfort and recognition for the audience rather than originality. |
| “The hero is regionless, casteless, ethnically non-identifiable and ultimately ahistorical.” | Nandy highlights how protagonists are constructed as universal archetypes, enabling broad cultural appeal while avoiding specific social or historical markers. |
| “Social particulars enter the popular film solely as gross stereotypical details.” | Regional and social nuances are simplified into stereotypes in Bollywood, reflecting the emphasis on archetypes over realistic representations. |
| “The moment you combine these fragments into single figures, they cease being Weberian ideal types.” | Bollywood separates traits (e.g., heroism and villainy) into distinct characters to simplify narratives, rather than depicting complex individuals with conflicting attributes. |
| “The Bombay film is a necessary new folk medium for our culture.” | Nandy acknowledges Bollywood’s role as a contemporary cultural phenomenon, fulfilling the storytelling and myth-making functions of traditional Indian folk art forms. |
Suggested Readings: “The Popular Hindi Film: Ideology and First Principles” by Ashis Nandy
- Nandy, Ashis. “The Popular Hindi Film: Ideology and First Principles.” India International Centre Quarterly, vol. 8, no. 1, 1981, pp. 89–96. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23001938. Accessed 11 Jan. 2025.
- Inden, Ronald. “What Happens in a Hindi Film?” Asian Journal of Social Science, vol. 41, no. 5, 2013, pp. 492–509. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23654797. Accessed 11 Jan. 2025.
- Derné, Steve. “Market Forces at Work: Religious Themes in Commercial Hindi Films.” Media and the Transformation of Religion in South Asia, edited by Lawrence A. Babb and Susan S. Wadley, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995, pp. 191–216. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv4v323p.15. Accessed 11 Jan. 2025.
- Uberoi, Patricia. “Feminine Identity and National Ethos in Indian Calendar Art.” Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 25, no. 17, 1990, pp. WS41–48. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4396224. Accessed 11 Jan. 2025.