FILM DANCE, FEMALE STARDOM, AND THE PRODUCTION OF GENDER IN POPULAR HINDI CINEMA

摘要: This dissertation undertakes a historical and theoretical analysis of constructions gender sexuality through popular Hindi film dance. hybrid dance form, primarily staged by female performers until recently, has featured syncretic mix Indian classical folk traditions as well transnational forms since the early 20th century. My study this cultural form explores interactions cinema with indigenous foreign forms, performing body spaces performance, differing narratives histories male stardom, mechanisms for ideological constitution spectator-subject. Drawing on interdisciplinary work analysis, performance theories from contemporary field studies ancient South Asian texts I investigate role in construction stardom four iconic dancer-actresses 1930s to 1990s: Sadhona Bose, Vyjayanthimala, Waheeda Rehman, Madhuri Dixit. This project employs body-space-movement framework (studying dance, movement vocabularies used, resulting star bodies) engage broader discussion cinematic representation, cultures, gender. propose taxonomy song-and-dance sequences consider various functions musical examine gendering each these registers. Employing framework, suggest that often enables author particular types narratives. Each chapter question respectability dominated discourses acting women, investigates thus links between ideology, femininity. Through sustained questions have long occupied scholars cinema: how does generate spectatorial desire engagement differently than other what sequence produce romantic, erotic, communitarian affects, are specific mobilizations space, movement, bodies create address cinema?