Cinema India

9780724102808

0724102809

This book is both a history of Indian cinema and of the posters that advertise them. From the time of partition in 1947, when India began shaping its democracy and national image, its cinema began evolving from religious and mythological narratives based on Hindu epics. Whether in films dealing with social themes like poverty or love across caste lines, or rollicking adventures and romantic entertainments with extravagant costumes, sets and music, the Indians have evolved an original and exuberant product, and its Hindi-language national cinema, based in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), produces more films than any other country. These days the films produced in Bollywood (the name is a conglomeration of Hollywood and Bombay) are also viewed by millions of expatriate Indians and non-Indians everywhere. In presenting the visual phenomenon of the movie poster, this catalogue traces its graphic and stylistic developments, uses of hand-done art and photography, lithography, color and typography, and Western influences and takes us up to today's computer-generated designs. It is a treasure trove for the designer or anyone interested in the history of the graphic arts. Included is the story of Mary Evans, born in Perth, Australia, who was, during the 1930's and 1940's, India's box-office star ("Fearless Nadia").