Mukherjee Presentation 13Dec2004

8/3/2019 Mukherjee Presentation 13Dec2004

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Bringing Bollywood to Leicester:Bringing Bollywood to Leicester:

Reflections on localizedReflections on localizedstrategies of engagement strategies of engagement between regional culturalbetween regional cultural

economies and transnationaleconomies and transnationalcultural industries.cultural industries.

Jaideep Mukherjee

Centre for Mass Communication Research

University of Leicester

Cultural Diversity and Creative Industries Seminar

De Montfort University / 13 Dec 2004



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Genesis of the project:Genesis of the project:

Leicester, European Capital for South AsianMedia project set up in 2002;

Joint initiative of MATV and Leicester CityCouncils Cultural Strategy Unit;

Funded by EMDA & managed by EM

Screen Commission, later EM Media; Key areas of research in the project:

1. To promote East Midlands as a hub forvisiting productions,

2. To investigate reasons filmmakers useforeign locations, and

3. To consider potential benefits fororganisations in the city and the region

Report and recommendations launched inJuly 2003 presently at the stage of implementation and further fundraising.



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Aims of this paper / presentation: Aims of this paper / presentation:

Reflect on the findings of the LeicesterProject

Examining three key aspects:

1. The regions diaspora itself and itsmedia consumption,

2. the commercial and culturalphenomenon that is Bollywood

3. Potential impact of their engagement

Connect the streams of thinking on diasporic media and cultures & transnational cultural industries

Extend the scope of these debates



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Leicester and the East Midlands?Leicester and the East Midlands?

Brief history of Leicester

Key phases of migration intoLeicester

What is the East Midlands region Leicesters diasporas

Leicesters successes multiculturalism, diversity.

Diasporic media in Leicester consumption, production &distribution



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Asian diasporic media in the UK Asian diasporic media in the UK Key consumption indicators

Origins of media production

- Recycled content - Original content

Television

Radio Press

New media



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Conceptualizing Bollywood Conceptualizing Bollywood

A problematic nomenclature

Popular understandings

Aspects of engagement with the

Asian diaspora:- the diaspora as consumers

- the diaspora as a source of popular narratives

- diaspora using Bollywood tonegotiate identities

- diasporas as producers of thesetexts



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Commerce, Content andCommerce, Content and

Context in Bollywood CinemaContext in Bollywood Cinema Outline of size & impact

Business practices

Production and distributionnetworks

Impact on content

Recognition as an industry

Changing scenarios in finance

New technologies, new marketsand new strategies

Is this the panacea?



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Bollywoods view of the foreign:Bollywoods view of the foreign: By Leicester, do you mean Leicester Square? By Leicester, do you mean Leicester Square?

Research background & methods.

Key findings:

Proliferation of fantasy narratives Demands of realistic narratives

Going foreign as a practicalnecessity

Facilitation Equipment

Production finance

Visa, immigration & Customs



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Reflections on the LeicesterReflections on the Leicester

FILMPUR Project:FILMPUR Project:

Linking with regional economiesand regional cultural economies:

- problems & prospects Linking with transnational cultural

industries:

- problems & prospects

Recent developments & on-goinginitiatives

The road ahead



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Conclusions:Conclusions:

Directions for further research:

- Is the global and the local stillan useful paradigm?

- Are cultural economies betterunderstood in terms of flows?

- Changing perspectives in thestudy of cultural economies,

- Understanding new transnationalcultures and cultural industries.

Mukherjee Presentation 13Dec2004

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