Event Title

The role of the courtesan in Bollywood

Presenter Information

Nadia Mustefa, Colby CollegeFollow

Location

Diamond 242

Start Date

30-4-2015 9:00 AM

End Date

30-4-2015 10:25 AM

Project Type

Presentation

Description

The Courtesan performance is an important spectacle in Bollywood films.Although courtesans today are commonly held as marginalized members of society who live on the fringes, in the precolonial period courtesans held a position of power through which they had autonomy, liberty, and status. Bollywood films depict them as a source of entertainment on the surface level. However, when you look closely you see the strength these characters possess. Hence, I want to explore the sexuality of the courtesan. Such an analysis will illuminate the multifaceted aspects of the courtesan identity. My primary sources are the films K. Asifs Mughal-E-Azam and Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Devdas. My secondary sources are the Courtesans of Lucknow, Half the Sky, Without Krsna there is no song, as well as excerpts from of Sacred and Secular Desire and Filming the Gods. These secondary sources will allow me to analyze the deeper of the implications of the role of the courtesan in the context of society as well as uncover the hidden implications of Bollywoods portrayal of these characters.

Faculty Sponsor

Nikky Singh

Sponsoring Department

Colby College. Religious Studies Dept.

CLAS Field of Study

Humanities

Event Website

http://www.colby.edu/clas

ID

1315

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Apr 30th, 9:00 AM Apr 30th, 10:25 AM

The role of the courtesan in Bollywood

Diamond 242

The Courtesan performance is an important spectacle in Bollywood films.Although courtesans today are commonly held as marginalized members of society who live on the fringes, in the precolonial period courtesans held a position of power through which they had autonomy, liberty, and status. Bollywood films depict them as a source of entertainment on the surface level. However, when you look closely you see the strength these characters possess. Hence, I want to explore the sexuality of the courtesan. Such an analysis will illuminate the multifaceted aspects of the courtesan identity. My primary sources are the films K. Asifs Mughal-E-Azam and Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Devdas. My secondary sources are the Courtesans of Lucknow, Half the Sky, Without Krsna there is no song, as well as excerpts from of Sacred and Secular Desire and Filming the Gods. These secondary sources will allow me to analyze the deeper of the implications of the role of the courtesan in the context of society as well as uncover the hidden implications of Bollywoods portrayal of these characters.

https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2015/program/366