Anglo-Indians in Hollywood, Bollywood and Arthouse Cinema

Abstract

Apart from a few disparaging remarks about offensive stereotypes by Anglo-Indian writers and politicians such as Gloria Jean Moore, Frank Anthony and Gillian Hart, critics have paid very little attention to the representation of “mixed-race” Anglo-Indians in the cinema. Drawing on screen theory and recent theories of cinema spectatorship, this essay provides a comparative analysis of how Hollywood, Bollywood and arthouse films represent Anglo-Indians. More specifically, it analyses three paradigmatic films: Bhowani Junction (1956), Julie (1975), and 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981). Combining formal analysis of narrative structure, mise-en-scène and genre with historical analysis, the paper examines the ideological work performed by these texts, which use Anglo-Indians to dramatise specific political conflicts in India such as those generated by the British partition of India in 1947 and the more recent issue of globalisation.

Keywords:

• Anglo-Indians
• Film
• Postcolonialism
• Representations

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Glenn D'Cruz

Glenn D'Cruz is Senior Lecturer in Drama in the School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University, Australia. He is the author of Midnight's Orphans: Anglo-Indians in Post/Colonial Literature (Peter Lang, 2006) and A Class Act: Melbourne Workers Theatre 1987–2007 (Vulgar Press, 2007)