ENGL 245: Bollywood Nation

Instructor: Arnab Chakladar
English
Spring 2012

Course Description
Bollywood Nation is a survey of popular Hindi cinema from the early 1950s to the present day and centers entirely on primary visual texts: the students watch and discuss two films a week as well as additional video clips.

Group Film Production Assignment

As the final assignment for this class you will work in groups to create short videos that demonstrate your understanding of the formal and thematic dynamics of mainstream Bollywood cinema. These videos will be screened in class on the last day of the term and the screening will be open to the public.

The Process

You will be divided into groups based on sign-up sheets (to be distributed) that will ask you to list your expertise and/or interest in various aspects of film production. Each group will be required to do the following:

1. Create a detailed synopsis of a proposed Bollywood film in one of the genres covered in our class. This synopsis must be 2-3 pages long (single-spaced) and should include the film's title and all cast production credits. This must be submitted in class on the day of the screening.
2. Create a shorter one-page synopsis of the film as might fit on the back of a DVD case. This must also include credits and must be submitted two days before the screening so that they may be collated into a handout for audience members.
3. Create a 10-minute video that dramatizes the key plot elements of your film and includes at least two different types of scenes typically found in Bollywood cinema. The video must be transferred to a DVD and one copy must be submitted to me by 5 pm of the evening prior to the screening.
4. Prepare a 1-2 minute introduction to your video that explains how your proposed film demonstrates a critical understanding of the Bollywood aesthetic. Why did you choose the genre you did? Why did you focus on the scenes you focused on?

Tips

Things to avoid: Parody for its own sake; long elaborate song and dance sequences that take up too much of the running time; any material selected for shock value or that would be inappropriate for presentation in class; lurid is fine, lewd is not.

Cameras and other equipment as well as assistance with editing software etc. will be available from PEPS. Costumes are your own responsibility. Keep in mind that the purpose of this project is not to create a slick and shiny product but to demonstrate a critical understanding of the dynamics of Bollywood cinema. Groups should convene at least two weeks prior to the screening date to coordinate skills and responsibilities. You must also meet very early with PEPS staff to reserve and receive training in video equipment. Keep in mind that the equipment is a constrained resource and it is your responsibility to make sure that you have the equipment you need and that you understand the time required for editing.

Group Close Reading Assignment

You will be formed into groups that will present two close readings of scenes from selected films over the course of the term. We will have two presentation days that will be given over entirely to your presentations. You will be expected to apply the critique you receive of you first presentation to the second.

You have seen me do these kinds of close readings before in class; you should already have a model in front of you. Consider, for example, my close-reading of "Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai" from Guide. The one central claim that that reading was about was the claim/argument that in this song sequence the film allows a counter-narrative to emerge that challenges the larger (conservative) narrative of female agency in the film. To support this claim/argument I drew your attention to a few crucial things in that song sequence:

1. The way the camera subordinates Raju to Rose--examples at various parts of the scene (the camels, the picking up of shoes, Rose positioned above Raju).
2. Compositions from across the scene that show the camera attempting to box Rosie into frames, just as the larger plot does, but
3. Rosie breaking out of those frames and escaping the camera.

To illustrate each point I referred to supporting examples at various points in the scene. That is to say, I did not let the sequential summary of the scene be the organizing principle of my presentation to you. Instead the organizing principle was the argumentative claim.

Guideline

• Keep to your time limit; you will be showing your scene, which should be no more than 5 minutes in duration; and then you have 5-7 minutes to present your analysis of it. Please time your presentation. If you go long you will be penalized. It is not necessary to have all group members present or talk about separate points. If 6-7 people are going to talk about separate points there is absolutely no way you will be able to stick to the time limit and/or avoid a very shallow presentation. The proof of good group work can be demonstrated without the whole group doing the presenting.
• Please do not spend your time describing or summarizing what is happening on screen. It is redundant/a waste of time to be shown the scene and then told what we have just seen. What you should be doing is presenting an analysis of the scene.
• Make sure your analysis is not a series of fragmentary observations about every single thing or a lot of the things that happen in the scene. You should have a thesis that unifies everything you are saying about this scene. Your presentation should be about one central claim (see above).
• It should be clear early in your presentation what that larger claim you are making about the film as a whole is, and why you have chosen this scene to demonstrate that point. Again, make sure you are not simply describing the scene. If the point you are making can be understood simply by watching the film, then what are you adding to it?
• A good presentation will analyze both formal and thematic elements of the selected scene.
• Each group must meet at least one week before the presentation date to select their scene, along with a few alternated. You must let me know which scenes you have chosen and indicate the claims you wish to make. After I have vetted your selections and ensured there are no duplicates you must meet at least two more times before the presentation to discuss your readings and construct a script for the presentation with clearly delineated role. Remember: you are being asked to present a mini argument about your scene, a critical reading of it. You will not be able to get this across by "winging it" from discussion notes.
• When you send me any of your presentation materials make sure you send it to me either as a simple word attachment or with the text pasted into the body of an email. And for group work always cc all your group members on the email so I can respond to all of you simultaneously.