Information & Research Resources on Indian Cinema: a Global Survey of Printed, Digital and Online Materials
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116 ICAL 2009 – VISION AND ROLES OF THE FUTURE ACADEMIC LIBRARIES Information & Research Resources on Indian Cinema: A Global Survey of Printed, Digital and Online Materials Rajwant S. Chilana, M. Sc. MLS, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Library Administration & South Asian Studies Librarian Acting Head-Asian Library University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Urbana, Il 61801, USA [email protected] Abstract indexing or abstracting sources in this area for the India is the largest film producing industry in the world purpose of academic studies. and its cinema is becoming increasingly popular in various countries around the globe. Bollywood is a Indian cinema and culture is a vital aspect of South powerful medium that provides useful and entertaining Asian programs, and we have witnessed that there information on history, civilization, variety of cultures, has been growing interest in the scholarly study of religions, socio-economics and politics in various regional Bollywood and Indian cinema among South Asian languages. More and more people, irrespective of their diaspora. In recent years movies produced in India ethnicity, watch Bollywood films in many parts of the world. have received international attention. Most recently, Recently a popular Indian movie-Slumdog Millionaire there have been successful efforts in the co- has received eight Oscar awards, and thus, scholars and productions of Hindi as well as English movies by academicians are showing keen interest, and are actively involved in teaching and research on different Hollywood and Bollywood producers and directors. aspects of Indian cinema particularly Bollywood. During Many Indian actors are working in Hollywood films the last two decades there has been spurt in publications and similarly a number of American and British actors on Indian cinema. To support teaching and research, are also appearing in Bollywood movies. The majority several libraries have developed good collections of of Indian films are now produced with English sub- printed and microforms resources. In recent years, we titles, and thus many people around the globe love to have witnessed a huge proliferation of digital and web watch and get acquainted with Indian history, culture resources, and information is now accessible on Indian and society through the movies. Faculty, students and cinema more easily and promptly through the Internet. scholars have developed keen interest in the study The author received a research grant from the University of Illinois, USA to develop an online resource guide on and research on different aspects of cinema. So far Indian cinema, and undertook a survey of various no bibliographical source with international coverage institutions and libraries in USA, India, Canada and has been compiled on Indian cinema and thus many London (UK) for the collection of various data. In this patrons have suggested in producing a guide to help paper information has been provided on major institutions their research. When completed, this resource guide of cinematic studies and research. An annotated list of will greatly support research programs in South Asian databases, printed, digital as well as online resources studies, and will serve as an exhaustive and most up- has been developed that will serve as most up-to-date to-date bibliographical reference on Indian cinema. This reference resource for people seeking information on publication will assist graduate and under-graduate Indian cinema. students as well as faculty and other researchers in locating information on various aspects of films Introduction produced in and about India. Bollywood is the largest film producing industry in the world. In recent years, there has been growing interest Libraries with Cinema Collections and awareness of Indian cinema, and as such many universities, colleges and other educational l National Film Archives of India, Mumbai, along institutions have developed and introduced several with the Film Institute of India in Pune developed courses. There are quite a large number of students to become the national resource center for film and scholars who are pursuing study and research and film related material. Since then, its staff has on various facets of cinema leading to Doctorate, had the arduous task of tracking down and Master and Bachelor degrees. There is dearth of acquiring any film and related material, which has EMERGING DIMENSIONS OF DIGITAL LIBRARIES – RAJWANT S. CHILANA 117 a particular focus on the history and heritage of l Asian Academy of Film & Television, Noida Indian cinema. This Archives act as a center for has adopted a comprehensive training method with the dissemination of film culture in the country, equal importance on the practical training of film and to promote Indian cinema abroad. Its Research making and acting. Asian Academy of Film & TV, and Documentation Section has a very large has been imparting education and training in the collection of material relating to every period of art and craft of film making in television Indian cinema. It contains more than 1,15,561 still presentation since 1993.The academy was photographs. Prints of all unique photographs have planned as an alternative to formal film schools been made so that they are available to and has since come a long way making a unique researchers, authors etc. Censorship records and place for itself amongst the best global centers of other material are used to reconstruct the multiple education of its kind. Growing to be certified as filmographies of Indian cinema. Among the the first ISO 9001:2000 film school in this part of publicity items are more than 11,639 film posters the world in less than a decade since its of various sizes, 10,133 song booklets, lobby inception, the Academy was also approved as an cards, press clippings and old disc records. The international level training center by the 125 year Documentation Centre attempts to collect old City and Guilds of the United Kingdom in the ancillary material for every film title certified by year 2002. The Academy has also done the various Film Certification Boards in the country. pioneering work of generating training a world class Films are made in many languages at various material in the form of books and video recordings centers in India, and considering the large number on the various techniques of film and television of films produced in the country, the task of production both for the benefit of its students and acquiring and documenting this material is the practicing film and television professionals. voluminous. The section maintains press clipping The Documentation Center of the academy has files of film reviews, film personalities and other produced a number of books on the art & screen important aspects of Indian Cinema. http:// presentation. http://www.aaft.com/main.html# nfaipune.nic.in/main_page.htm l M.G.R. Film and Television Institute, Chennai l Film and Television Institute of India Library, is an advanced institute for Film Techniques and Mumbai was established in 1960 at Pune. Since Aesthetics that imparts training in various aspects than it has truly lived up to its avowed objective in of Film Production, TV and allied subjects and to the field of imparting training in film making and award Diploma to successful candidates. It also television program production. Currently FTII is to help appreciate the power of the medium of considered as a Center of Excellence not only in Film for entertainment and education and make India but also in Asia and Europe. Films made by use of them. Its library contains good collections the students of the Institute are entered in festivals of printed materials on various aspects of film both in India and abroad. Many of them have own production. http://www.tn.gov.in/misc/film/ National and International awards. The Institute admission2007/mgrftvi_prospectus.pdf has a spacious book library with a substantial l The National Documentation Centre on Mass collection of books related to film, television, Communication (NDCMC) of the Research, theatre, fine arts, literature etc. The Institute also Reference and Training Division, Ministry of subscribes to a number of technical and general Information & Broadcasting, Government of India periodicals published in the country and abroad. is located in New Delhi, and brings out services The Institute has a film and a video library with a like Current Awareness Service, an annotated good collection of films and videos from all over index of select articles on mass media published the world. http://www.ftiindia.com/newftii/ in newspapers and journals being subscribed by index.html the Centre; Bulletin on Films, an abstract of various l Whistling Woods International Library is the developments in the film industry in India; Asia’s largest and most reputed institute for film, Reference Information Service, the background animation, television and media arts developed in papers on subjects of topical interests in the field Film City, Mumbai by the reputed film producer of mass media. http://rrtd.nic.in/rti.pdf and director Subhash Ghai. This provides world- l Films Division of India Library, Mumbai was class education in all technical and creative established in 1948. For the past 50 years, the aspects of film-making and television through 2- organization has maintained a record of Indian year, full-time residential programs in 8 history on celluloid. Nothing less than a mega- specializations namely Acting, Animation, film on the films itself, Films Division of India holds Business of Film & Television, Cinematography, 8000 titles on Documentaries, Short Films and Direction, Editing, Screenwriting & Sound. Its well Animation Films in its archives. These films range equipped library provides printed and online from events of Socio-cultural importance to political resources on cinematic studies. http:// events. It is the main film-medium organization of www.whistlingwoods.net/main.asp# the Government of India and is well equipped with 118 ICAL 2009 – VISION AND ROLES OF THE FUTURE ACADEMIC LIBRARIES trained personnel, cameras, recording and editing Government of India in 1973, to organize facilities.