Alternatives to Love: Indian Cinema Reinvented in Greater Asia

As conventional Bollywood continues to thrive, independent productions in India are embracing more insurgent themes and challenging storylines. Following the lead of maverick actor/producer Amir Khan in the wake of Dhobi Ghat (2010), films such as A Death in the Gunj (2016) and Sir (2018) not only feature women’s themes but aggregate the colour and movement of Indian cinema while enlist-ing serious subject matter. India remains a vital focus on the world cinema scene as the traditions of culture and cinema predate online distribution opportunities by centuries. Drawing from film theorists such as Ashvin Devasundaram, Madhuja Mukherjee, Chi-dananda Das Gupta and Neelam Sidhar Wright, I examine the two exemplary films as textual analysis in a historical context. Along with the influence of Hindu mythology, this paper seeks a template for effective, globally relevant cinema which respects Edward Said’s notion of Orientalism. While considering the storytelling traditions of Rabindranath Tago-re and Satyajit Ray as literary and cinematic voices, this paper also consults Western screen-writing experts Stephen Cleary and Robert McKee in its search to support the artistic aims of cinema from India. India deserves to be championed for its centuries of unrivalled artistic achievement and unparalleled cinematic exuberance A medida que el Bollywood más convencio-nal continúa prosperando, las producciones independientes en la India están adoptando temas más insurgentes e historias desafian-tes. Siguiendo el ejemplo del actor y produc-tor inconformista Amir Khan a raíz de Dhobi Ghat (2010), películas como A Death in the Gunj (2016) y Sir (2018) no solo presentan temas femeninos, sino que agregan el color y el movimiento del cine indio al tiempo que incorporan temas serios. India sigue siendo un foco vital en la escena cinematográfica mundial, ya que las tradiciones de la cultura y el cine son muy anteriores a las oportunida-des de distribución en línea. Basándome en teóricos del cine como Ashvin Devasundaram, Madhuja Mukherjee, Chi-dananda Das Gupta y Neelam Sidhar Wright, examino las dos películas elegidas para el análisis en un contexto histórico. Junto con la influencia de la mitología hindú, este artículo busca una plantilla para un cine efectivo y globalmente relevante que respete la noción de orientalismo de Edward Said. Si bien considera las tradiciones narrativas de Rabindranath Tagore y Satyajit Ray como voces literarias y cinematográficas, este documento tambi