Storytelling in Hindi Cinema

From physical duplicates to role reversals and sexual masquerades, Storytelling in Hindi Cinema provides a comprehensive overview of Hindi films centered around the figure of the double.

Richard Allen dissects the cultural significance of these double-themed plots, considering how they reflect questions of social mobility, the expression of desire, social justice, and national identity in the post-colonial period. He considers the wide array of influences that shape the genre, from Sanskrit Kathasaritsagara story-telling traditions, folk Nautanki theatres, and Tales of the Arabian Nights to colonial and post-colonial roots from Shakespeare to Hollywood melodrama. He asserts the influence of Bengali cinema, particularly of filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee, and South Indian films like Hello Brother (1994) in providing diverse perspectives that enrich these narratives.

Examining a broad range of films, from 1947 to present, including Mahal (1949), Madhumati (1958), Chupke Chupke (1975), Angoor (1982), Banjaran (1991), Kal Ho Na Ho (2003) and Dostana (2008), Allen traces the evolution of the trope, even incorporating transgressive narratives like cross-dressing and gender disguise. In doing so, he highlights how these cinematic motifs navigate the complexities of traditional worldviews and modern experiences.