Between Rowdies and Rasikas: Rethinking Fan Activity in Indian Film Culture - Aswin Punathambekar
Summary
TLDRThis video script delves into fan studies, examining the evolution of fan perception from outsiders to celebrated contributors to culture. It discusses three waves of fan studies, highlighting the shift from viewing fans as different to recognizing their creativity and importance in media marketing. The script focuses on Indian cinema, contrasting fan activities like AR Rahman's dedicated fan club with the emotional devotion of Amitabh Bachan's fans. It underscores the role of music directors in shaping the film industry and explores the global impact of A.R. Rahman's diverse fan community, which engages in discussions on music, legality, and distribution, reflecting broader cultural and technological changes.
Takeaways
- 📚 The script discusses the evolution of fan studies, a field that supports and defends fans, highlighting their creativity and challenging societal norms.
- 🔍 Initially, fan studies viewed fans as outsiders, but the 1990s saw a shift with scholars like Bacon, Smith, Harrington, and Jenkins celebrating fandom as a beautiful phenomenon.
- 🌐 The second wave of fan studies recognized fans as central to media marketing strategies, moving from ridicule to mainstream acceptance.
- 🎭 The third wave of fan studies acknowledges the widespread cultural phenomenon of fandom, integrating into everyday life and various media platforms.
- 🎬 Ashwin Punatar's chapter focuses on the local, regional, and global dimensions of fan experiences, particularly in the context of Indian cinema.
- 🎼 The chapter examines the role of music directors in shaping the film industry, with a case study on A.R. Rahman's influence on national and international music scenes.
- 🎁 A.R. Rahman's fans demonstrated dedication by organizing events and creating unique gifts, showing the active participation of fans in supporting their favorite artists.
- 📊 Media coverage often overlooks nuanced fan engagement, preferring sensational or extreme gestures, indicating a bias in how fan activities are portrayed.
- 🏆 Regional differences in fan activities are highlighted, with South Indian film cultures showing a strong political influence, unlike Bollywood where fan engagement is less politically charged.
- 🌍 A.R. Rahman's fan community is diverse and global, with members from various backgrounds, united by their love for his music and active in both online and offline discussions.
- 🛡 The script emphasizes the importance of reframing fan activity beyond star worship to include appreciation for the contributions of music directors and the legality of media distribution.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the video script?
-The main topic of the video script is the discussion of fan activity in Indian film culture, as explored in the chapter 'Rethinking Fan Activity in Indian Film Culture' from the book 'Fandom, Identities and Communities in a Mediated World'.
What is the role of fan studies as a field of study?
-Fan studies is a field that supports and defends fans, examining how they creatively engage with and challenge societal norms, and protecting them from ridicule by the media and those who do not understand them. It promotes the idea that fans are smart, creative, and deserve respect.
How has the perception of fans evolved from the early days of fan studies?
-In the early days, fans were often viewed as different or 'others', not like the mainstream or average person. However, from the 1990s onwards, there was a shift where fans were allowed to speak for themselves, and their activities were seen as creative and meaningful, leading to a more positive and authentic understanding of fandom.
What is the significance of the second wave of fan studies?
-The second wave of fan studies, which began after the mid-1990s, marked a dramatic shift in how society views and values fans. Fans became central to marketing strategies of media industries and were celebrated by cultural industries, moving from a stereotypical perspective to mainstream acceptance.
How does the third wave of fan studies differ from the first two waves?
-The third wave of fan studies recognizes that being a fan is now a widespread cultural phenomenon integrated into everyday life, rather than confined to isolated fan groups. It broadens the scope to include diverse audience behaviors and motivations and explores how fans engage with media texts and reflect broader social and cultural trends.
What is the focus of the chapter 'Rethinking Fan Activity in Indian Film Culture' by Ashwin Punatar?
-The chapter focuses on the local, regional, and global dimensions of fan experiences, specifically exploring the role of fans of Indian Cinema in shaping public culture and citizenship in PR day India. It examines how these fans interact with Indian film music and raises important questions for global media studies.
What are the two examples of fan activity in Indian Cinema mentioned in the script?
-The two examples are: 1) A fan-managed event for A.R. Rahman in Bangalore where fans created a unique gift for him, and 2) The media coverage and fan devotion surrounding Amitabh Bachan's hospitalization and surgery.
Why did the mainstream media not pay much attention to the fan activity for A.R. Rahman's event?
-The mainstream media tends to ignore fan activity in Bollywood unless it is sensational or extreme, overlooking the more nuanced engagement of educated fans and their creative efforts.
What is the role of music directors in Indian Cinema as discussed in the script?
-Music directors in Indian Cinema play a significant role in shaping the film industry and audience tastes. They influence the lyrics, expand orchestras, introduce global instruments, and have been vital to the industry since its early days. They are also highlighted in film promotions and have a strong visual presence in media.
How has A.R. Rahman's career trajectory and influence been described in the script?
-A.R. Rahman started by composing ad jingles and became a music director in the 1990s. He gained fame in Tamil Cinema and later in Hindi films. His rise coincided with Bollywood gaining international attention, and he gained visibility in world music circles, composing music for international projects and having a diverse global fan community.
What is the significance of A.R. Rahman's fan community as discussed in the script?
-A.R. Rahman's fan community is significant as it is a powerful example of how fans interact with broader changes in technology, economy, and politics. The community not only shares a love for music but also engages in important discussions about legality and distribution, making it a vital part of the global cultural landscape.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Fan Studies and Indian Film Culture
This paragraph introduces the concept of fan studies, a field that appreciates and defends fans' creativity and challenges societal norms. It discusses the evolution of fan studies, from viewing fans as outsiders to celebrating their contributions to culture. The paragraph sets the stage for a discussion on fandom in Indian film culture, referencing a specific chapter from a book edited by Jonathan Gray, Cornel Sandvoss, and Lee Harrington, and written by Ashwin Punathambekar. It emphasizes the importance of studying fans to understand their role in society and culture, particularly within the context of media and cultural studies as part of the Kerala University syllabus.
🎬 Shifts in Societal Perception of Fans and their Role in Media
The second paragraph explores the transformation in how society perceives fans, highlighting the shift from marginalization to centrality in media marketing strategies. It discusses the change in media portrayal from ridicule to celebration, using examples such as the Harry Potter fandom and British Prime Minister Tony Blair's engagement with football fans. The paragraph also introduces the third wave of fan studies, which recognizes fandom as a widespread cultural phenomenon integrated into everyday life, with a focus on the global and local dimensions of fan experiences, particularly in the context of Indian cinema and its fans' role in shaping public culture and citizenship.
🎼 Fan Activity in Indian Cinema: AR Rahman and Amitabh Bachan Case Studies
This paragraph delves into two specific instances of fan activity in Indian cinema, one involving the music director AR Rahman and the other, the actor Amitabh Bachan. It contrasts the media's coverage of fan dedication, showing a bias towards sensationalism and emotional extremes. The first event discusses how Rahman's fans self-organized a concert, creating a unique gift for the artist, which received little media attention. Conversely, the second event, involving Bachan's hospitalization, was widely covered, with fans' devotional acts receiving significant media exposure. The paragraph underscores the media's tendency to overlook nuanced fan engagement in favor of dramatic gestures.
🏆 Regional Differences and Political Influence in South Indian Cinema Fandom
The fourth paragraph examines regional differences in fan activities, particularly in South Indian film cultures, where actors like MGR and N. T. Rama Rao, who were also successful politicians, had their political careers significantly influenced by fan activity. The author contrasts this with Bollywood, where fan engagement is less politically charged and more organized around individual stars. The paragraph highlights the unique intertwining of fandom and politics in South Indian cinema, which is not commonly seen in other regional film industries.
🎵 The Impact of Music Directors on Indian Cinema and A.R. Rahman's Fan Community
This paragraph focuses on the pivotal role of music directors in Indian cinema, with a spotlight on A.R. Rahman's career and influence. It discusses the importance of songs in Indian films, their ubiquity in public spaces, and the way music directors shape audience tastes and the film industry. A.R. Rahman's rise to fame, his visual presence in music videos, and his transnational influence are highlighted. The paragraph also explores Rahman's global fan community, which engages in discussions, translations, and analysis of his music, and actively promotes legal sharing and protection of intellectual property rights.
🌐 The Global Cultural Landscape: A.R. Rahman's Fan Community as a Case Study
The final paragraph presents A.R. Rahman's fan community as a powerful example of how fans interact with broader changes in technology, economy, and politics. It discusses the community's engagement in important discussions about legality, distribution, and intellectual property rights. The paragraph emphasizes the role of online fan communities in the global distribution of Indian cinema and how they help shape and negotiate its place in the international sphere, making them a vital part of the global cultural landscape.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Fandom
💡Fan Studies
💡Cultural Studies
💡Media Industries
💡Fan Activity
💡Mainstream Media
💡Regional Differences
💡A.R. Rahman
💡Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
💡Global Cultural Landscape
💡Public Culture
Highlights
Introduction to the concept of fandom and its significance in society, emphasizing the importance of studying fans.
Emergence of fan studies as a field that supports and defends fans, highlighting their creativity and challenging societal norms.
Historical shift in the perception of fans from being outsiders to being celebrated for their contributions to culture and media.
The first wave of fan studies focused on understanding fan communities and their distinct subcultural identities.
Second wave of fan studies recognized fans as central to media marketing strategies and their mainstream acceptance.
Examples of how media portrayals of fandom have evolved from ridicule to celebration, such as the case of Harry Potter fans.
The third wave of fan studies acknowledges fandom as a widespread cultural phenomenon integrated into everyday life.
The chapter by Ashwin Punatar explores the local, regional, and global dimensions of fan experiences in Indian cinema.
Case study of A.R. Rahman's fans who managed his concert tour, showcasing fan dedication through hard work and creativity.
Media bias in coverage of fan activities, often ignoring nuanced engagement in favor of sensational or extreme gestures.
Regional differences in fan activities, particularly in South Indian film cultures where fans are devoted to political figures turned actors.
Comparison of fan engagement in Bollywood, which is less politically charged and more organized around individual stars.
The need to reframe fan activity beyond star worship to include appreciation for film music and the role of music directors.
The significant role of music directors in Indian cinema, particularly A.R. Rahman, and their influence on the film industry.
A.R. Rahman's career trajectory, from composing ad jingles to winning national awards and gaining international recognition.
The global fan community of A.R. Rahman, which discusses and promotes his music both online and offline, crossing cultural borders.
The role of online fan communities in the global distribution of Indian cinema and their engagement with legal and distribution issues.
The AR Rahman fan community as a vital part of the global cultural landscape, engaging with broader changes in technology, economy, and politics.
Transcripts
hi dear students this video will be a
discussion on the
chapter between rowes and rigas
rethinking fan activity in Indian film
culture now this is actually the 14th
chapter taken from the text fandom
identities and communities in a mediated
world this book is edited by janathan
gray cornnell sanos and Lee
Harrington the chapter that is
prescribed between rowes and Ras
rethinking fan activity in Indian film
culture is by Ashwin punat Beaker this
is prescribed for ma
English uh fourth semester paper
cultural studies under Kerala University
syllabus this whole
chapter is about a very interesting
subject it's about fandom or F and
audiences
worldwide in the very introductory
chapter of this book itself there is a
very valid question posed by the
editors why study fans so first let us
try to answer that question because only
then can this chapter make sense see
most of us are fans of something or if
not we know somebody who is a fan of
something or someone
so this concept of
fandom might appear awkward to many but
to many others it makes sense right it
matters now we have an emerging field of
study called fan studies so what is fan
studies basically about fan studies is a
field that supports and defends fans
it looks at how fans creatively avoid
and challenge the main ideas and roles
in
society and this field also protects
fans from being made fun of by the media
and people who don't understand them so
basically fan studies shows that fans
are smart creative and deserve
respect so basically fan studies is of
the opinion that fandom is
beautiful we see that in the early days
of studying fans researchers often
viewed fans as different or
others this means they were seen as not
like the mainstream or average
person and even though many researchers
sympathized with fans they were often
Outsiders looking in
these researchers they studied fan
communities but they always didn't
understand them
completely but later during the
1990s we see a
change through uh authors like bacon
Smith Harrington and
BLB
Jenkins
Etc they allowed fans to speak for
themselves
and these studies were often written by
people who were part of some fan
communities so this made their views
about fans more authentic and
insightful so this phase celebrated the
idea that fandom is
beautiful and instead of breaking down
the idea that fans are different
these researchers or these Scholars uh
or these fans uh actually who focused on
uh the celebrating
fandom they showed that fan activities
like attending conventions writing fan
fiction editing fan Zs organizing uh
letter writing campaigns all such fan
based activities they were not EPN
normal but rather creative and
meaningful so the goal of these
writers was to make these fan practices
seem normal and worthy of
respect so up to this early
1990s can be seen as the first wave of
fan
studies when we move on to the second
wave of fan studies which begins
uh after the mid
1990s here we see a
change and what is that
change the change is that we see a
dramatic
shift over how Society views and values
a
fan now during this second wave we see
that fans have become Central
to marketing strategies of media
Industries so instead of being
mocked fan communities are now
celebrated by cultural
Industries see even if we look at media
portrayals of
fandom that that shift is very clear
that shift from a
stereotypical uh perspective to a more
mainstream
acceptance see for
example uh earlier the Harry Potter fans
were ridiculed uh like potterheads they
were ridiculed as overly
enthusiastic but after the mid uh
1990s and into the New Millennium we we
see a change in the perspective towards
Harry
Potter we see a huge huge fan
base for the literary as well as the
Cinematic version of that series and uh
another prominent example of uh fandom
being celebrated was that of British
Prime Minister Tony Blair uh his
unexpected appearance on a football chat
show uh and that too during a political
crisis uh shows how fandom can be used
for public relations and personal
connection and now we are in the third
wave of fan
studies and it is unlike the first and
the second waves which focused on
specific fan
communities and
subcultures the third wave of fan
studies recognize that being a fan is
now a widespread cultural phenomenon
integrated into everyday life rather
than confined to isolated fan
groups and this is evident in the
migration of fan communities to the
internet and the proliferation of fan
activities across various media
platforms the first and the second waves
emphasized fans as distinct subcultural
entities but contemporary research
broadens its scope to include diverse
audience behaviors and
motivations and Scholars now explore how
fans engage with media
Texs and how they reflect the broader
social and cultural
Trends so with this minimal
understanding of what fan studies is all
about and the different phases of uh fan
studies let's move on to the chapter
prescribed now this chapter basically
reflects on the local Regional and
Global dimensions of fan
experiences and specifically through
this chapter Ashwin punatar explores
fans of Indian
Cinema and explores their role in
shaping public culture and citizenship
in PR day India and by examining how
these fans interact with Indian film
music puner raises important questions
for Global media
studies now over to the chapter between
rowes and rikas rethinking fan activity
in Indian film
culture Ashwin puner begins this
chapter by looking at two recent
examples of fan activity in Indian
Cinema the first one took place on
October 8th
2005 a Rahman the famous film music
director he performed in Bangalore as
part of a worldwide
tour now what made this event special
was that it was entirely managed by his
fans these fans volunteered for various
Stars including cluding ticket sales
stage construction and crowd
management their goal was to be
recognized as the official Rahman fan
club now as part of their efforts they
decided to present Rahman with a with a
unique gift they created a montage made
up of thumbnail images of all his album
covers which together formed a picture
of his
face now instead of buying expensive
software to create this Montage the fans
who run a design company uh called
3x.com developed their own software they
worked tirelessly coding for many
sleepless nights finally they got to
meet Rahman and uh give him the gift a
few days later they found out that
Rahman liked the gift and had displayed
it in his studio in Chennai
now despite the dedication and effort of
these fans this story did not get much
attention in mainstream
media so this is the first event that uh
pun Amer uh talks about uh about fan
activity in Indian Cinema okay now let's
move on to the second uh event now this
happened a little month little or a
month
later another significant event Indian
Cinema took place and amid bachan the
legendary Superstar of Hindi Cinema he
was hospitalized and needed
surgery now unlike rahman's story every
detail of Bin's Hospital stay and
Recovery was covered by the media
additionally many examples of fan
devotion were also reported for instance
uh many fans organized prayer session in
various cities around the world for his
recovery an article by Chopra mentions
that fans routinely gathered outside
Ban's hope jalsa uh in Suburban Mumbai
uh to catch a glimpse of him and it was
like a dasan they just wanted to see him
get a glimpse of him and some fans even
went to extreme lengths like sending him
paintings made with their own blood
so in short these two stories show
different aspects of fan activity in
Indian Cinema while the fans of a ran
showed their dedication through hard
work and creativity the fans of amitab
bachan displayed their devotion through
emotional and sometimes extreme
gestures so here puner talks about that
media coverage
bias that sort of partiality
uh see for instance in mainstream media
uh it tends to ignore fan activity in
Bollywood unless it is Sensational or
extreme like the paintings in
blood this overlooks the more nuanced
engagement of educated fans discussing a
rahman's music online so what he means
is that if only it is uh portrayed in a
if that fandom is portrayed in a very
dramatic manner like uh you write a
letter to your uh favorite celebrity uh
in blood or like the thing that is
mentioned in the text like how uh amid
Ban's fans reacted very
emotionally so only such dramatic
gestures will be uh reported by
mainstream media they will ignore that
very composed and calm uh fan activities
as portrayed by AR of man's uh
fans and
then he says that we also see Regional
differences when it comes to Fan
activities for example in South Indian
film
cultures we see that the fan
associations are very much devoted to uh
actors like mg ramachandran and N ramar
ra mg ramachandran is MGR the former
chief minister of Tamil Nadu who was
also a very famous Tamil actor we all
know that he was the founder and the
first General Secretary of the a aiadmk
party all India
anad uh party he was the founder of that
so he was very active in politics and N
ramar was the former Chief Minister of
Andhra Pradesh he was also also a very
famous actor director producer Etc so
you see that these two actors they were
also leading politicians and their
success in politics was heavily
influenced by the fan activity so this
is something that happens that happened
in South India in South Indian film
cultures uh it
works even though we don't see much
examples like that in uh Malayalam film
industry but in Tamil film industry
Telugu film industry Etc uh these actors
later becoming politicians and winning
in elections uh all this we can connect
it with the fan activity and then the
author Compares it such fan activity to
Bollywood to Bollywood industry and he
says that there the fan engagement is
different you don't see political
charging uh in Bollywood industry much
like the
earlier mentioned South Indian uh uh
examples so in Bollywood the fan activi
is less politically charged and it is
mostly organized around individuals like
amid ban or Shah rukan so this is the
regional differences in fan activity
that uh punat Amer
States next he states that we need to
reframe that fan activity
because mostly fan activity is based on
Star
worship it's mostly based on uh film
stars sports stars Etc right so uh the
author says that there needs to be a
shift in that attention we also need to
shift to uh film music and the role of
music
directors in the second section of this
uh chapter it's a about music directors
and fan identification the case of a
Rahman and uh in this section uh Ashwin
punatar explains the significant role of
music directors in Indian Cinema and he
focuses specifically on a Rahman it
highlights how music directors shape the
film industry the the unique elements of
Indian films
uh are the inclusion of multiple songs
and how these songs uh heavily influence
uh the people the public spaces in
India and in this section he also
describes a rahman's career trajectory
his influence on both National and
international music scenes so the the
key points included in this second
section are the importance and
omnipresence of songs in Indian films
the influential role of music directors
in shaping the film industry and
audience
St a Roman's rise to fame his
significant projects and his unique
visual presence in addition to his
musical
contributions the diverse Global fan
community that discusses and promotes
raman's music both online and offline so
in this ction he illustrates how these
music directors particularly a Rahman
play a crucial role in Indian Cinema and
how their work extends beyond the films
themselves so first he says that songs
in Indian films are very significant are
very important Indian in Indian Cinema
uh songs are very important we all know
that and unlike uh Hollywood films uh
popular Indian films typically include
five or six songs right and these songs
often don't directly connect to the
story but they are very important
they're very crucial for the film
experience and we know that we we see
that uh these songs are usually
choreographed into elaborate dance
sequences and they have a key part and
they have been a key part of Indian
Cinema uh since uh music or sound was
introduced in cinema so songs are very
important aspect in Indian films next he
talks about the ubiquity of film songs
that means the film songs have their own
distribution channels both official and
unofficial they heard everywhere in
India from markets and festivals to
buses and trains so the the uh music or
the film songs have a separate fan base
right and because of
this we we see that the music director
has his own role and importance in
Indian Cinema they have been very vital
to the industry since its early days
they influence the lyrics they expand
orchestras they introduce uh Global
instruments uh they shap audience days
Etc and since the 1940s producers have
highlighted music directors in film
promotions as
well okay and uh most often uh we see
that during the pre-production stage
itself successful music directors are
chosen and they are prominently featured
in advertising
materials like uh radio shows like
binaka git Mala uh they help create this
oral stardom for music
directors and then pun Amaker focuses
primarily on a Rahman a Rahman started
by composing ad jingles and he became a
music director in the
1990s he began his career in 1992 with
the maniratnam film Roa the film went on
uh to win him the national award for
best music director and that same year
he scored music for the Malayala movie
yodha and yodha is the uh one and only
Malayala movie uh music directed by him
till date but in uh
2024 that is after 2 and a half decades
uh he returned to Malayalam film
industry uh with ar viam he composed two
songs for AR viam so when we look at his
career his early career uh we see that
he gained Fame in Tamil Cinema
and later in Hindi films like rangila uh
which was released in
1995 and some of his very successful
projects include the non-film projects
like the album vand madaram released in
1997 and it sold millions of copies
worldwide and the author punat Amer
notes that uh one of the unique
qualities attributed to Rahman is the
visual presence uh Rahman was the first
Indian music director to have a strong
visual presence through music videos and
promotions on MTV and other channels and
His Image is featured in global uh
Bollywood tours advertisements as well
and we also see that he has that
transnational influence rahman's rise
coincided with Bollywood gaining
International attention U largely due to
the Indian diaspora uh and he gained
visibility in World music circles and
composed music for international
projects like Bombay dreams then the
stage version of Lord of the Rings Etc
and when you look at rahman's Fan
Community we see that he has a diverse
fan base okay uh rahman's fan Community
includes around 8,500 members from 26
countries and it includes people from
various backgrounds such as Tamil
Malaysians uh Indian Americans uh
Indians in Dubai Etc and
uh his uh and the fan activities of his
fans the the primary activity uh of his
fans is discussing uh rahman's music
including uh they translate the lyrics
uh they evaluate the musical
Arrangements uh they analyze the song
choreography Etc and these fans monitor
uh various media uh for news about
Rahman and some um some uh work uh and
some even work uh professionally with
him uh so uh this fan Community has been
recognized as rahman's official fan club
and uh these fans meet offline to
discuss Raman music they organize
concerts and form informal bands uh to
perform his
songs so
U so uh we see uh that rman fan
Community is made up of individuals from
different parts of the world and these
fans are united
by their love for film for film music
particularly rahman's music and uh the
internet uh also uh enable fans from
across the globe to connect and form
communities this online Collective also
allows for dialogues that uh cross many
borders
and and the fan activity of Rahman um
Rahman fans it also include uh trying to
control illegal media practices like
sharing films through telegram or other
media platforms sharing music uh so all
such efforts to control such illegal
uh sharing uh that is also done by uh
Rahman uh fan fans
associations and music you know it is an
intellectual
property so it comes under that IPR
intellectual property rights so uh the
media as well as as the state often view
fans who share music as Rowdy and
deviant uh if uh we often come across
such instances right when uh a film is
nearing uh its release or even if the
film is released in theaters and running
successfully in theaters we often get uh
Master copies of that film uh through
Telegram and other media Outlets uh so
this is is
illegal so whoever shares such files be
it a film be it a music file uh they are
considered as Rowdy or
deviant and the Rahman fan Community is
against such illegal sharing of uh music
files and all such stuff uh they are
into uh legal sharing of Music the ran
fan Community discusses uh or does legal
sharing of Music they talk about CD
pricing they talk about availability of
music and the legality of sharing
background scores so these discussions
are crucial to understand the role of
online fan communities in the global
distribution of Indian Cinema so here
the Rahman fan Community acts as a zone
of Engagement that means here uh
individuals uh technicians institutions
and cultural and political forces they
all come together they all engage
together uh and they all help to shape
and negotiate Indians Indian Cinemas
Place uh in an international uh
sphere so through this section U Ashwin
is trying to uh communicate that AR
rahman's fan Community is a is a very
powerful example of how fans interact
with broader changes in technology
economy and politics this community not
only shares a love for music but it also
engages in important discussions about
legality and distribution so this makes
it a vital part of the global cultural
landscape
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