This paper is trying to “locate the East and the West in the same person”, that is, in the protagonists of two recent films: American Desi and Bollywood/Hollywood. Both were directed by NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) and are set within the Indian Diaspora of North America. Bollywood/Hollywood is a romantic comedy/parody set in Toronto, Canada, while American Desi is a college comedy set among the Indian students of a typical American college. Both films deal comically with the difficulties that arise from living in two worlds, adapting to two different sets of values and the question of identity.
First, this paper is going to lay the groundwork by defining what is meant by diasporic identity, supplying some background information on the Indian communities of Canada and the USA and giving a short synopsis for both of the films. The next chapter discusses how certain themes of Indianness, e.g. family, religion and pop culture, are depicted in the films. Then, the – assumed – diasporic identities of the main protagonists are described. Finally, the conclusion will not only summarize the findings, but also try to find parallels between the films and their characters, as well as differences that might be connected with one stemming from Canada and one from the USA.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Laying the Groundwork
a Diasporic Identity?
b The Indian Diaspora in Canada and the USA
c Film-Synopses
III Indian Themes in the Films
a Family Ties and Values
b Community, Customs and Religion
c Everyday Life and Bollywood
IV Diasporic Identities of the Characters
a (Almost) Comfortable: Rahul, Twinky, Jagjit, Nina
b Struggling: Go, Sue, Ajay, Kris
c Indian at heart: Salim, Rahul’s mother, Sunita’s father
V Comparison of “Bollywood/Hollywood” and “American Desi”
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how diasporic identities are represented in the films "Bollywood/Hollywood" and "American Desi." The central research goal is to explore how protagonists living within the Indian diaspora of North America negotiate their identity while navigating the pressures of two distinct sets of cultural values.
- Analysis of diasporic identity definitions within the context of the Indian sub-continent.
- Comparative study of Indian immigrant experiences in Canada and the USA.
- Depiction of traditional themes such as family values, religion, and community in diaspora cinema.
- Evaluation of how protagonists balance or struggle with their "hybrid" identities.
- Investigation into how parody and Bollywood film conventions influence character development.
Excerpt from the Book
Family Ties and Values
Family is very important in the Indian culture. As Rahul’s father says in Bollywood/Hollywood: “Family is paramount.” The Indian society is traditionally structured around families, led by a male head of the house. He is responsible for his wife, children and younger siblings (until they are married) and his mother, in case she is widowed. The women’s role is to care for the household and the children and their husband’s needs. At marriage, a woman leaves her family to live in her husband’s household and her key responsibilities lie then with his family. Marriages, especially in the higher casts, are traditionally arranged by the parents. While those traditional values might slowly be loosening in India, they are held up as a given in many families in the Diaspora. In her research, Christiane Brosius found out that many parents see living in the West as a danger for the proper socialization of their children and try to teach them Indian values and a proper Indian way of life, how they remember it, by showing them Hindi films.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This chapter introduces the growing influence of Indian culture in the West and establishes the paper's aim to analyze diasporic identity in two specific films.
II. Laying the Groundwork: This section defines key terms like "diaspora" and "diasporic identity," provides demographic background on the Indian presence in Canada and the USA, and summarizes the two primary films.
III Indian Themes in the Films: This chapter examines how specific cultural markers—including family structures, religious practice, food habits, and the influence of Bollywood—are portrayed in the lives of the characters.
IV Diasporic Identities of the Characters: This chapter categorizes the film characters into groups—those comfortable with their hybrid identity, those struggling between worlds, and those remaining "Indian at heart"—to better understand their psychological development.
V Comparison of “Bollywood/Hollywood” and “American Desi”: The concluding analysis compares the two films, noting how "Bollywood/Hollywood" uses surrealist parody to comment on multiculturalism in Canada, while "American Desi" offers a more realistic, yet overdrawn, portrayal of the American-Indian experience.
Keywords
Diasporic Identity, Indian Diaspora, Bollywood, Hollywood, Migration, Cultural Hybridity, North America, Film Analysis, Parody, Multiculturalism, Family Values, Religion, Integration, Ethnic Identity, Transnationalism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work explores how individuals within the Indian diaspora in North America navigate, reconcile, and express their ethnic identities through the lens of two representative films, "Bollywood/Hollywood" and "American Desi."
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The study covers themes of family dynamics, arranged marriage, religious practice, generational conflict, and the symbolic importance of Bollywood cinema in anchoring diasporic identity.
What is the central research question?
The paper seeks to locate the intersection of "East and West" within the protagonists, specifically examining how they balance their Indian heritage with life in Western liberal democracies.
What methodology is employed in the work?
The author uses a qualitative film analysis approach, integrating sociological definitions of diaspora with textual analysis of scenes, dialogue, and character behavior in the two selected movies.
What does the main body discuss?
The main body breaks down cultural representations (religion, food, family) and evaluates the evolution of the characters from initial states of confusion or rebellion toward a more comfortable, integrated hybrid identity.
How can the work be summarized by keywords?
Key terms include Diasporic Identity, Cultural Hybridity, Bollywood, Indian Diaspora, and Transnationalism, reflecting the focus on identity formation across borders.
How do the protagonists in "American Desi" handle their heritage differently than those in "Bollywood/Hollywood"?
Characters in "American Desi" often struggle with their identity in a more realistic campus environment, whereas the characters in "Bollywood/Hollywood" inhabit a world of parody and surrealism that reflects the Canadian "multicultural" experiment.
What is the significance of the "Bollywood" elements in these films?
Bollywood is portrayed as an "umbilical cord" that connects second and third-generation immigrants to their parents' culture, providing a source of bonding and, in the case of "Bollywood/Hollywood," a stylistic tool for ironic social commentary.
- Quote paper
- Susanne Opel (Author), 2007, Representations of Indian Diasporic Identity in "Bollywood/Hollywood" and "American Desi", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/74024
