MASTERARBEIT/MASTER’S THESIS Titel der Masterarbeit / Title of the Master‘s Thesis „The Image of South India in Contemporary Mainstream Hindi Films“ verfasst von / submitted by Angelika Köpf, BA MA angestrebter akademischer Grad / in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (MA) Wien, 2016 / Vienna 2016 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt / A 066 692 degree programme code as it appears on the student record sheet: Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt / Kultur und Gesellschaft degree programme as it appears on des neuzeitlichen Südasiens the student record sheet: Betreut von / Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Martin Gaenszle On oath I solemnly declare on oath that I have written the present Master thesis by myself. I have indicated all sources and quotations – which are cited according to the Harvard method – as such in both words and understandings. The work has not been put forward to another examination authority. Vienna, May 2016 Angelika Köpf Acknowledgements This thesis was declared worthy to be financed under the premises of the KWA – “Kurze Wissenschaftliche Arbeiten im Ausland” scholarship by the University of Vienna, Department for International Relations. The scholarship was used for research and conducting interviews in the United Kingdom. I want to thank Univ.-Prof. Dr. Martin Gaenszle and Dr. Alaka Chudal, MA for their guidance and support throughout the years of studying and towards the finishing line of this thesis! Thank you very much, Ass.- Prof. Dr. Sonal Radia-Tyagi, Symbiosis University of Pune, doctoral candidate Omar Ahmed, MS, University of Manchester, Prof. Dr. Stephen Hughes and Prof. Dr. Rachel Dwyer of SOAS University London for taking their time and talking with me about this thesis’ topic! Thank you, Wendy Prohazka and Mag. Karoline Fritz for their help in reading and correcting! I want to thank my family and friends for encouraging me to follow my interests and supporting me during the time of my studies! “Share our similarities, celebrate our differences” M. Scott Peck Dedicated to my late father Dr. Rudolf Köpf and my dear friends David and Luisa Asirvatham Abstract This master thesis discusses the research question: To what extent are South India and cultural differences in the relationship between North and South Indians portrayed in contemporary mainstream Hindi films, taking into account specifically the examples of Chennai Express, Gori Tere Pyaar Mein, and 2 States? The topic is approached through the theories of Cultural Studies, the definition and meaning of identity, especially in the Indian context as well as the significance of stereotypes in general and stereotypical portrayals in films. Taking the methods of the film analysis to analyse three examples of Hindi films, likewise conducting interviews with experts from Pune, India, Manchester and London, UK – achieved through KWA stipend of the University of Vienna – the research question is answered. The Hindi film industry, or otherwise called Bollywood characterises a North Indian based, but pan – Indian cinema that reaches the masses of the people in India and beyond. The films are characterised by their mainstream, popular portrayal of the North Indian man/woman and the North Indian lifestyle, using stereotypes to speak to the ‘Everyman’ of India. The films are mostly shot in the languages of Hindi and Punjabi. There are cultural distinctions between North and South India, which are recognised by society and are presented in mainstream, popular Hindi films. These differences include the different language families of the Indo- European in the north of India and Dravidian in the south, the historical perception of their ethnic and ‘racial’ social affiliation, as well as customs and traditions, which differ. The film examples chosen here were considered Bollywood box office hits of the years 2013 and 2014. All three of these Hindi films are set in South India. A love story between North and South Indians is the main theme. To analyse the image of South India and cultural differences, specific screenshots and dialogues have been selected and discussed. It can be said that in the relation between North and South Indians, the films emphasise the cultural and ethnical differences, especially between the extremes of Punjabis and Tamils, to a great extent. Stereotypical representations, however, did not only rely on the South Indian culture alone. North Indians were portrayed as ignorant others, not understanding the customs and languages of the south. It is obvious though, that the stereotypes in these films serve as caricatures, making people laugh about the multicultural, multilinguistic society of the nation India. Contents 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... - 1 - 1.1 Personal motivation and development of the concept ............................................ - 2 - 1.2 Research Questions ................................................................................................. - 3 - 1.3 Aim and relevance .................................................................................................. - 4 - 1.4 State of research ...................................................................................................... - 5 - 1.5 Methods .................................................................................................................. - 7 - 1.6 Structure ................................................................................................................ - 10 - 2 Theoretical approaches ................................................................................................ - 12 - 2.1 Films in Cultural Studies ...................................................................................... - 12 - 2.2 Meaning of Identity .............................................................................................. - 14 - 2.3 Defining Stereotypes and their Perception in Films ............................................. - 17 - 3 South Indian and North Indian differences ................................................................. - 26 - 3.1 Introduction to the Meaning of Identity in India .................................................. - 26 - 3.2 Drawing the Line between North and South ........................................................ - 27 - 3.3 Historical Perspectives on the Aryan and Dravidian Heritage ............................. - 30 - 3.4 Indo- European and Dravidian Language Families .............................................. - 34 - 4 The Hindi Film Industry and its Relation to South India ............................................ - 38 - 4.1 The meaning of the Mainstream Cinema of Bollywood ...................................... - 39 - 4.2 India’s Regional Film Industries .......................................................................... - 45 - 4.3 South Indian Actresses/Actors in the Hindi Film Industry ................................... - 48 - 4.4 Identity and Stereotypes in Bollywood Cinema ................................................... - 51 - 5 Film examples ............................................................................................................. - 58 - 5.1 Chennai Express ................................................................................................... - 58 - 5.1.1 The Portrayal of North and South Indian Differences .................................. - 59 - 5.1.2 The Linguistic Barrier ................................................................................... - 66 - 5.1.3 Reviews ......................................................................................................... - 72 - 5.2 Gori Tere Pyaar Mein ........................................................................................... - 78 - 5.2.1 The Portrayal of North and South Indian Differences .................................. - 79 - 5.2.2 The Dark and Fair Perception ....................................................................... - 87 - 5.2.3 Reviews ......................................................................................................... - 92 - 5.3 2 States .................................................................................................................. - 94 - 5.3.1 The Portrayal of North and South Indian Differences .................................. - 95 - 5.3.2 The South Indian Lifestyle .......................................................................... - 100 - 5.3.3 Reviews ....................................................................................................... - 109 - 6 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. - 113 - Appendix ........................................................................................................................... - 121 - 6.1 Filmography ........................................................................................................ - 121 - 6.2 Bibliography ....................................................................................................... - 122 - 6.2.1 Primary Literature ....................................................................................... - 122 - 6.2.2 Secondary Literature ................................................................................... - 123 - 6.3 Table of Figures .................................................................................................