Formations of Indian Cinema in Dublin: a Participatory Researcher-Fan Ethnography
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Technological University Dublin ARROW@TU Dublin Doctoral Applied Arts 2016-4 Formations of Indian Cinema in Dublin: A Participatory Researcher-Fan Ethnography Giovanna Rampazzo Technological University Dublin Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/appadoc Part of the Film and Media Studies Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, and the Sociology of Culture Commons Recommended Citation Rampazzo, G. (2016) Formation of Indian cinema in Dublin: a participatory researcher-fan ethnographyDoctoral Thesis. Technological University Dublin. doi:10.21427/D7C010 This Theses, Ph.D is brought to you for free and open access by the Applied Arts at ARROW@TU Dublin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral by an authorized administrator of ARROW@TU Dublin. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License Formations of Indian Cinema in Dublin: A Participatory Researcher-Fan Ethnography Giovanna Rampazzo, MPhil This Thesis is submitted to the Dublin Institute of Technology in Candidature for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy April 2016 Centre for Transcultural Research and Media Practice School of Media College of Arts and Tourism Supervisors: Dr Alan Grossman Dr Anthony Haughey Dr Rashmi Sawhney Abstract This thesis explores emergent formations of Indian cinema in Dublin with a particular focus on globalising Bollywood film culture, offering a timely analysis of how Indian cinema circulates in the Irish capital in terms of consumption, exhibition, production and identity negotiation. The enhanced visibility of South Asian culture in the Irish context is testimony to on the one hand, the global expansion of Hindi cinema, and on the other, to the demographic expansion of the South Asian community in Ireland during the last decade. Through varying degrees of participant observation in and across sites of film production and consumption, alongside interviews with South Asian and western social actors with an interest in Indian cinema, this thesis critically frames manifestations of Indian film culture in Dublin; crucially, it does so via my dual positionality as a fan of Bollywood cinema and a researcher, embedded in new formations of Indian cinema in the Irish capital. Drawing on existing literature surrounding the globalisation and circulation of Hindi cinema outside the Indian subcontinent (Rajadhyaksha 2003; Desai 2004; Athique 2005, 2008b; Dudrah 2012) and fan studies (Jenkins 1992, 2006b; Monaco 2010; Duffett 2013), this thesis endeavours to explore the circulation and the social dynamics of Indian cinema, with particular attention to its impact on Irish urban spaces and in constituting subjectivities in the context of the social and economic changes occurring in Ireland since the last decade. Conducted through the lens of fandom, this study foregrounds the relevance of fan studies in promoting a richer understanding of a globalised and transnational cultural product such as Indian film in its multiple manifestations across the Irish capital, contextualising the complexity of the cultural practices and social environments involved. Significantly, my passionate interest in Bollywood cinema led me on a journey through various sites where Indian films are produced, consumed and exhibited, foregrounding the sheer diversity of modes of circulation and engagement that characterises the emergence of Indian film culture in Dublin. Immersive participant observation as a Hindi film fan thus represented an innovative approach to the exploration of the presence of Indian film in transnational contexts, which further contributes to Indian film studies and to the growing field of transnational cinema. Declaration I certify that this thesis which I now submit for examination for the award of Doctor of Philosophy, is entirely my own work and has not been taken from the work of others save and to the extent that such work has been cited and acknowledged within the text of my work. This thesis was prepared according to the regulations for postgraduate study by research of the Dublin Institute of Technology and has not been submitted in whole or in part for an award in any other Institute or University. The work reported on in this thesis conforms to the principles and requirements of the Institute’s guidelines for ethics in research. The Institute has permission to keep, to lend or to copy this thesis in whole or in part, on condition that any such use of the thesis be duly acknowledged. Signature: __________________________ Date: __________________________ Candidate: Giovanna Rampazzo Acknowledgements Undertaking this PhD has been a truly remarkable journey. It would not have been possible without the support of many wonderful people who have helped me with their kindness, wisdom and understanding. My most sincere thanks go to my PhD supervisors Dr Alan Grossman, Dr Anthony Haughey and Dr Rashmi Sawhney for their encouragement, support, guidance and patience. I am particularly indebted to Dr Grossman, an exceptional scholar and adviser, for his constant help and faith in me. My thesis has also benefited from the valuable suggestions of Dr Rajinder Dudrah. I am appreciative of the grant that I received from the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee, which partially funded my research. A big 'thank you' goes to Celine, Semat, Nicolle, Manan, Kamlesh, Siraj, Mary, Lorraine, Olivia, Sharon, Emma, Sinead and all the people who participated in, and facilitated my research, for their co-operation and kindness. This project would have been tough to complete without the support of my friends and colleagues. Their insights sustained me when I thought I could not make it. My heartfelt gratitude goes to Roisin, Shireen, Moira, Max, Agnes, Niamh, Val, Vukasin and all the members of the Centre for Transcultural Research and Media Practice. I am particularly indebted to Val for her generous and invaluable assistance. I also wish to thank Rob, Jenny and everybody in the postgraduate office for their help and encouragement. I am particularly grateful to my partner Babu, for his love and understanding, especially during the most difficult times. I dedicate this work to my mother, Rosanna Rampazzo (1936 – 1990). Table of Contents Page List of Figures VI Introduction 1 Chapter One The Journey of a Bollywood Fan: Negotiating Reflexivity, Identity and Representation 19 Chapter Two Hindi Films and Irish Multiplexes: Cultural Geographies of Bollywood in Dublin 80 Chapter Three ‘Indian Film Festival of Ireland’ (2010-2015): The Expediency of South Asian Cinematic Culture 128 Chapter Four Filming a Bollywood Blockbuster in Dublin: Ek Tha Tiger 183 Chapter Five The Arrival of Bollywood Celebrities in Dublin: Media, Community and Fandom ` 229 Chapter Six The Iris Film Society: Malayalee Stories Set in Ireland ` 268 Conclusion 330 Bibliography 340 Filmography 364 List of Figures Page Fig. 1: Indian filmmaker Nitin Chandrakant Desai with the descendants of Major Robert Gill. 65 Fig. 2: Flyer advertising the screening of Bollywood Films at the Irish Film Institute in Temple Bar, Dublin, 2005. 67 Fig. 3: Poster of a short film festival organised by the Iris Film Society. 71 Fig. 4: Cineworld Cinema, inner city Dublin. 80 Fig. 5: Market stalls next to the entrance of the Ilac Centre. 91 Fig. 6: The O'Rahilly Memorial on O'Rahilly Parade. 93 Fig. 7: Poster advertising a Telugu film screening and the Indian Film Festival of Ireland on Moore Street. 95 Fig. 8: Film still from David O’Sullivan’s Moore Street Masala. 101 Fig. 9: The foyer of Cineworld Dublin. 104 Fig. 10: Manan in front of his restaurant. 121 Fig. 11: The opening night of the Indian film Festival of Ireland in 2014. 128 Fig. 12: Entrance to the Swan Shopping Centre. 142 Fig. 13: Banner of the film festival at Swan Cinema, Rathmines, Dublin. 143 Fig. 14: Indian Film Festival desk, Swan Cinema, 2010. 144 Fig. 15: T-shirt worn by volunteers of IFFI 2011. 151 Fig. 16: Indian dancer performing at the press launch of the festival, 2011. 153 Fig. 17: Guests wearing traditional Indian clothes. 153 Fig. 18: Participants to the press launch indulging in Indian food. 155 Fig. 19: The main entrance of Dundrum Town Centre. 163 Fig. 20: Festival desk at Movies@Dundrum. 168 Fig. 21: Banners of festival sponsors at Movies@Dundrum. 169 VI Fig. 22: Extras and dancers during filming at Trinity College. 183 Fig. 23: Hurling and the St. Patrick’s Day Festival in dance sequence, Ek Tha Tiger. 198 Fig. 24: Film still from Ek Tha Tiger - Close up of sign of The Temple Bar Trading Company. 199 Fig. 25: Film still from Ek Tha Tiger - Tiger passing by a Guinness advertisement. 199 Fig. 26: Film still from Ek Tha Tiger - Tiger stopping the Luas. 200 Fig. 27: Advertisement linked to Ek Tha Tiger on Tourism Ireland website upon the film’s release. 203 Fig. 28: Film stills from the Trinity College promotional video Bollywood Comes to Trinity College Dublin. 206 Fig. 29: Updates about the filming of Ek Tha Tiger on Filmireland.net 208 Fig. 30: Ek Tha Tiger crew in a residential estate on Leinster Road, Dublin. 212 Fig. 31: Dance sequence in front of the Refectory on Parliament Square. 217 Fig. 32: South Asian onlookers around the sets of Ek Tha Tiger watching extras dance in leprechaun hats. 217 Fig. 33: The premiere of Ek Tha Tiger on the Dublin Mela 2012 website. 221 Fig. 34: Katrina Kaif signing autographs at Trinity College. 229 Fig. 35: Salman Khan and Ranvir Shorey on set, Ormond Quay. 236 Fig. 36: Celine with her camcorder, Ormond Quay. 236 Fig. 37: Fans trying to take photographs of Salman Khan, Ormond Quay. 239 Fig. 38: Fans sharing information about the filming of Ek Tha Tiger. 241 Fig. 39: Fans recording videos of the actors on set, Trinity College. 242 Fig. 40: Screen shots and comments on YouTube video Ek Tha Tiger Shooting Dublin, Ireland.