Mediated Cultures, Political Discourses, and the Celebrity

Bringing together scholars from a range of disciplines, this book explores the political contexts of celebrity in contemporary India. The book charts the changing ideological contexts of celebrities in the public sphere and the complex interplay of patronage, security and activism that Indian stars must navigate. Chapters explore mainstream Hindi film and the Bollywood system as well as marginalised and regional cinemas, from Dalit and Adivasi identities to regional Tamil and Malayalam film. Together the chapters in this volume offer new perspectives on global celebrity studies from the point of view of one of the largest and most dynamic film industries in the world.