In India, film and social media play recurring roles in politics
Political scientist Shikata Banerjee and cinema studies scholar Rakesh Sengupta sit down with Vinita to talk about how Bollywood and popular culture in general are being used by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his right-wing Hindu nationalist BJP to sway voters in the world's largest election.
Don’t Call Me Resilient · Rakesh Sengupta, Sikata Banerjee, Marisa Sittheeamorn, Ateqah Khaki, Jennifer Moroz, Vinita Srivastava, Krish Dineshkumar
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Show Notes
Currently the largest electorate in history is heading to the polls in India, where - of course - politicians and political parties are trying their best to influence voters. Film and popular culture have always provided a reflection of the country's political culture, but in this election, they are being used more than ever to *sway* voters - especially by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his right-wing, Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, the BJP. Vinita sits down with two scholars who look at the intersection of politics and popular culture to uncover how Bollywood is creating storylines that support Modi's BJP - and how big a role it might play in the outcome of the world's largest election. Political scientist Sikata Banerjee is Professor Emeritus of Women’s Studies at the University of Victoria She looks at Indian politics through the lens of cinema. And Rakesh Sengupta is Assistant Professor in Department of English and Cinema Studies at the University of Toronto.