The Content Analysis of Song Sequences in Bollywood Cinema

• In Event: Discourse, Disasters, and Place

Abstract

Bollywood research on the impact of song sequences has slowly emerged over the past decade. In this paper, we utilized extensive content analysis for the first time to compare song sequences with non-song sequences in popular Hindi films in order to map out the impact of liberalization on these sequences within the context of globalization. Given scholars oft-repeated arguments that song sequences represent the essence of Bollywood cinema and provide soft-power appeal, we analyzed those found in 61 years of top-grossing films – one film per year – to identify any structural changes that might impact this appeal. Overall, the data indicated that song sequences have been utilized primarily as vehicles for romantic and sexual content during the 61 year period, and have featured significantly less violent, criminal, political, and geographical content than non-song portions of these films. We conclude that Bollywood song sequences will most likely continue to function as semi-autonomous vehicles for the presentation of Indian romantic content, particularly as part of various soft-power campaigns.

Authors

• David J. Schaefer, Franciscan U - Steubenville, Dept. of Communication Arts

• Kavita Karan, Southern Illinois U