Traditional Content and Narrative Structure in the Hindi Commercial Cinema

The commercial Hindi cinema has been subjected to domestic and foreign criticism for its exceptionally formulaic and stereotypical feature productions. These productions, however, have their sources in the oral and written epics and the popular dramatic genres of traditional Indian culture. Content borrowed from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and other pan-Indian tales frequently enlarges and reinterprets the characters and plots of the commercial cinema. The disconcerting emotional melange presented by Hindi films is consistent with aesthetic theories of emotional content found in Indian epic narrative. The stereotyping of characters and of interpersonal relationships reflects the influence of traditional Indian epic structure, while the growing frequency of self-reflexive humor in the medium suggests yet another connection between contemporary Hindi cinema and the historically powerful traditions of Indian drama and narrative.