Before watching I didn't realize how big Bollywood film was. I was not aware that it was arguably more popular than mainstream Hollywood films. Bollywood is, contrary to popular belief, an extremely globalized system. And they really appeal to the masses by their use of diverse cultural references and the desire for a happy ending; much unlike the New Hollywood and French New Wave eras that illustrated more personal, gritty stories of the common working class. Specifically, in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai they seamlessly switch in between Hindi and English. I also noticed specific mannerisms and many cheesy cliché ridden moments throughout the film.
This film, to me, was very endearing. Something about the father-daughter relationship I seemed to identify with earlier on in the film. It wasn't too much unlike Classical Hollywood. Many scenes with song and dance, but it seemed to go on and on, I suppose that's why it was three and a half hours long. This love triangle (or as I might call it a love 'V' because neither of the female characters is pining for each other) was very interesting to watch because it would turn awkward at moments, but you can't blame him for having a tom-boy girlfriend, can you?
The film speaks towards an idea of appropriation as well. But in a larger sense, to stray away from Novak's analytical essay slightly, it is a good thing. The way that the characters appeal to the larger population through their use of clothing, song, dance, and language (as they often switch in between Hindi and English in some dialogue) is part of the global village. We now use media to transform the ways in which people think. And appropriation, through culture too, is one of the ways this is done.
The incorporation of English words and phrases reminded me of a Colombian telenovela I'm watching right now where the characters do the same thing. They'll pepper in a few English slang terms here and there in an otherwise Spanish-language show, which speaks to globalization and cosmopolitanism in the same way that it does in "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai."
ReplyDeleteThis film was definitely very different from the last few we've watched. Bollywood, like Classic Hollywood, is very light and happy, compared to the darker stories of New Hollywood, French New Wave, and New German Cinema. I also really liked the father-daughter relationship between Rahul and Anjali, it was really sweet to watch.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I didn't think that Bollywood cinema was so big! I definitely became a fan after watching this film and I now understand why Amy was having such a hard time trying to choose between so many good Bollywood films.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your take on appropriation in this movie. Instead of being offensive, in this film it serves to make it more palatable to global audiences.
ReplyDeleteI really like that you mentioned that appropriation in this film is more of a good than a bad thing according to Novak's essay. I also really like that you mentioned that this is not technically a love triangle because the two female characters are not pinned against each other. I found this very interesting because it the situation changed and Rahul, Aman and Anjali turned into the love triangle it did seem that there was tension between the two male characters. Lastly I like how you compared the narrative and the ending of this film to other films we've watched that don't share the same happy ending because they are more a reflection of reality.
ReplyDeleteI loved how you looked at the question of appropriation here. As we become more of a global community, the boundaries between cultures also become increasingly porous and it becomes harder to understand questions of appropriation in a simplistic manner. This film addresses Sikh and Muslim minority populations because it hopes to have them as audience members as well as English speaking diasporic populations and that changes the shape of film in a way that is not accounted for by simply labelling it cultural appropriation.
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