Cinema India: South Asia's Past on Film (FYS)
HIST 123F
Fall 2019
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01
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This first year seminar course examines the relationship of film and history in India. We will focus on how filmmakers represent the past and, alternatively, how films inform historical memory--especially in the context of the competing trajectories of nationalism and globalization in South Asia. A central concern will be the historiographical challenges and opportunities of film. We will pay particular attention to Hindi cinema, including films produced by the Bombay/Mumbai ("Bollywood") film industry since the 1950s. We will also examine the rise of "parallel" (or "art") cinema. There will be one session reserved for evening screenings (Tuesdays) and two morning sessions per week (Mondays and Wednesdays). Feature films will range from classics like "Mughal-e Azam" (1960) and "Umraon Jaan" (1981), to lesser known works like "Shatranj ke Khiladi" (1977) and "Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi" (2005). We will also probe the critical and box-office success of relatively recent blockbusters such as "Lagaan" (2001), "Jodhaa Akbar" (2008), "Bajirao Mastani" (2015), and "Padmaavat" (2018), comparing them to the disappointing performance of budget-busting period dramas like "Thugs of Hindustan" (2018) and "Manikarnika" (2019). |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (GSAS-MN) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 | | Special Attributes: FYS |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Sunil Khilnani, THE IDEA OF INDIA (new edition); Tejaswini Ganti, BOLLYWOOD: A GUIDEBOOK TO POPULAR HINDI CINEMA (2nd edition, 2013)
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Examinations and Assignments:
Students will write ten 2-page (200/250-word) essays reflecting on issues of historical representation in the films, drawing on the readings and lecture/discussion as well as supplementary resources made available by the instructor. These papers will undergo peer review prior to the Thursday morning session and final submission to the instructor for grading. The lowest graded paper will not be included in the final grade calculation. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Students are expected to attend all evening film screenings and all morning classes, and to have done all assigned reading prior to class as per the syllabus. Engaged, intelligent class participation is crucial to the success of the seminar and will also be graded. |
| Instructor(s): Pinch,William R. Times: ..T.... 07:30PM-10:30PM; .M.W... 10:50AM-11:40AM; Location: PAC421; PAC421; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: X | JR major: X | | |
| Seats Available: 7 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: X | JR non-major: X | SO: X | FR: 15 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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