"While acknowledging the contribution of the dominant Hindi Sanskritic narrative tradition to the shaping of popular Hindi cinema, this chapter aims to explore the alternative narrative streams that have governed storytelling in Hindi films, particularly the Perso-Arabic legacy of the qissa and dast
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an that has been erased or marginalised in the construction of national cinema. Through tracing the disruption of the dominant Hindu epic narratives by the Perso-Arabic qissa or dastan, it will show that it is the imbrication of the Perso-Arabic heritage with the Hindu Sanskritic that constructs the syncretic cinematic universe of the Hindi film." (Pages 183-184)
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"This anthology aims to portray the “soft” power of Bollywood, which makes it a unique and powerful disseminator of Indian culture and values abroad. The essays in the book examine Bollywood's popularity within and outside South Asia, focusing on its role in international relations and diplomacy
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. In addition to contributions that directly engage with the notion of soft power, a number of essays in the volume testify to the attractiveness of Bollywood cinema for ethnically diverse groups across the world, probe the reasons for its appeal, and explore its audiences' identification with cinematic narratives." (Publisher description)
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