THE FACES OF WORLD CINEMA

From classical Sanskrit literature to Bollywood: modernity and traditionality of eroticism in Indian commercial cinema

After decades of intellectual depreciation Bollywood cinema has been presented in ways that highlight its positive psychological, social, cultural and aesthetic aspects. It is now increasingly seen as being deeply rooted in the Indian milieu (and even transcending its boundaries). The present article elaborates on the connection of overt erotic components of the Indian popular film with the well-documented eroticism present in classical Sanskrit literature. The film production in question represents both a continuation of the tradition and a turning point, one that answers the needs and tastes of a new India.

Igor Grbić