RAJNIKANT’S Laptop: Computers and

Development in Popular Indian Cinema

BySarvan.KM.SC(ICT-ARD)DA-IICTID:201313006

Author: Joyjeet pal

• Abstract

• Prologue

• Introduction

• Related work

• Methodology

• Discussion

• conclusion

Contents

Abstract

• In the past decade, the role of information technology in development has seen as exceptional spike in interest.

• Taking the specific example of popular cinema in INDIA, we find a strong aspirational ways in which computers and technology users are portrayed.

• Study of technological artifacts as represented in popular media in the public sphere has been a critical missing piece of work on I.T and development.

Prologue

• Karthik is hormonal brat and Shakti medical student from poor family got married against of the wishes of both sets of parents.

• Alai Payuthey a south Indian by filmmaker Mani Rathnam.

• Karthik starts a computer software company and wins contract from United States that fixes the couples financial troubles.

Introduction

• “Tech Cities” like Bangalore and Chennai expanding giving engineers in terms of high wages and international mobility.

• Based upon 193 interviews across south India that recorded perceptions of IT.

• Firstly exams the artifact of computer as power. Secondly exams computer user and qualities attributed to user. Thirdly discuss disproportionate imagery in South India.

1.Related work

• Small but rich body of work on south India much ignored .

• The idea of technology generally, IT specifically bridge between social exclusion and inclusion into development.

• Ideas of transnational identity in cinemas in political reimagination.

• Issues of political, religion and literature of national identity by cinematic themes.

2 .Methodology

• Reviewed 91 western and India cinema that has themes of relevance to technology and development. The main focus is to analysis of films.

• Interviewed people from Telugu and Tamil film industry like Menon, Siva and distributor Dr.Srinivasan from abirami films.

• 47 are specifically Indian films from 1990 to 2000 that depict computer users or computing artifacts.

• Women as computer users, strong depiction of female characters are seen in Some of Tamil cinema.

3.Discussion

• The idea of technology as transformative, came to centre stage in 1920 and 1930, in theme of rapid industrialization.

• Metropolis(1927), a futuristic epic. Charli Chaplin’s Modern Times(1936) on dehumanization.

• Struggle between traditionalism and modernism and use of technology in national building.

3.Discussion

• The first film to feature computer were science newsreels in the immediate postwar period in 1951.The first film featuring a rudimentary computer was When “Worlds collide”.

• We shift our focus over to discuss the representation of technology in Indian cinema.

• Nehru personally recognized the importance of cinema in the nation building exercise .

3.1 ICT and Gender Empowerment

• In “Kandukondain Kandukondain”,Sowmya remains traditional to the end. She does not turn into modern executive .

• In Telugu film “Anand”, Roopa has Independent identity with challenging behaviour.

• Technology and Gender empowerment idea comes in film “Sangam” in arrangement of matchmaking bureau by online .

3.2 Aspiration

• In blockbuster hit “Roja”, hero played a computer engineer whose arranged marriage is plot in time. The focus on the software engineer as essential to middle class aspiration is nonetheless highlighted.

• In Hindi films the engineer stereotype is typically applied to the “cool youngster”.

• Films have long portrayed doctors and big officers mostly preferable. In 2000 the role was taken over by the software engineer.

3.3 The mass film and Iconization of computer

• Mass films highlighted an interestingly in different view of technology and modernity .

• Mass films aimed at urban lower class and rural viewers.

• M.G.Ramachandran never drank or smoked on screen. MGR went on to become a hugely popular politician in Tamil Nadu.

• Films like Sivaji The Boss, Jeans, Black or White helped to create one of the most enduring computer tricks in cinemas.

4.Conclusion

• People were very excited about computers and the possibility of access to them, but they were unclear how IT could be useful in their lives.

• This analysis of computer and cinema in India brings to light in minds of people.

• Certain types of entertainment media experiences in India have had positive social outcome .

References

• Akudinobi tradition/modernity and the discourse of African cinema.Oak Ridge,TN:iris publishing group.

• Burton,j.(1986).cinema and social change in latin America:conversations with filmmakers.ustin ,Tx:university of texas press.

• Fuster,G(2005).Class passing:social mobility in film and popular culture.Carbondale,IL:Southern IIIinois university press.

• From Research paper of Joyjeet pal’s “Rajnikant’s Laptop”.

THANK YOU!