Bollywood Performance, Music, and Influence

This unit examines Bollywood’s sonic and visual culture—music, dance, choreography, costume, and star systems—and their roles in shaping genre, fan cultures, and industry practices. Students trace regional and international influences, study iconic films, composers, choreographers, and celebrities, and prepare to apply these insights to analysis and production in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze how music, composers, and dance traditions (e.g., Bhangra, folk, classical) contribute to narrative, emotion, and spectacle in Bollywood by citing at least three film or song examples from the unit.
• Evaluate the impact of regional and international crossovers (Kollywood, Lollywood, Hollywood) and music/film franchises on Bollywood’s stylistic evolution using specific case studies from unit lessons.
• Compare major star personas, award systems, and fandom behaviors (e.g., Khans, Kapoors, Filmfare, obsessive fandom) to explain their influence on production, marketing, and audience engagement with references to at least two films or events.
• Demonstrate applied media literacy by analyzing costume, choreography, and music-scoring choices in a selected scene and proposing one alternative design or musical approach that aligns with a chosen Bollywood genre (e.g., masala, romance, action).