The power of Bollywood
A study on opportunities, challenges, and audiences’ perceptions of Indian cinema in China
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21215433 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yanyan Hong (0000-0002-8802-7640, The University of Queensland, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 345-363 |
| Publication date | 2021-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Global Media and China (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2059-4364 • E-ISSN: 2059-4372 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/20594364211022605 |
| OpenAlex | W3172024986 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 19 |
India has long been known for its prestigious Mumbai-based film industry, namely Bollywood, and remains by far the largest producer of films in the world. With the growing global reach of Indian cinema, this study looks at an intriguing Indian-film fever over the last decade in the newly discovered market of China. Through examining key factors that make Indian films appealing to Chinese and exploring the opportunities and challenges of Indian cinema in China, this article draws upon insights gained from the narratives of local audiences. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 32 Indian-film audiences residing across 14 different cities in mainland China. Thematic analysis identified the following five appealing factors, which explain why the Chinese enjoy Indian films: content-driven story, social values, star power, audience reviews and cultural connections. While a comprehensive list of opportunities was derived showing the potential future of Bollywood in China, results found that China’s unique institutional context and an ongoing India–China geopolitical tensions also present challenges, which in turn add to the overall complexity of films’ success in the Chinese market. This article argues the powerful role of Bollywood in bridging cultures and improving India–China ties, as Indian films have made Chinese people more aware of India in a favourable way
Advertising · Art · Business · China · Geography · Geopolitics · Literature · Mainland China · Media studies · Movie theater · Narrative · Political science · Politics · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Soft power · Thematic analysis · Cinema and Media Studies · History · Socioeconomic Development in Asia · South Asian Cinema and Culture
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,67 |
| Citation span | 2023 - 2025 (3) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |