[Reader-list] Informal Economies and Distribution Practices : Studying Bollywood

[Ritika]

Dear Veena, hi!

To begin with let me congratulate on the amount of work that you have 
proposed to do for this fellowship.

This is just to get a clarity in my head - as I have been able to 
understand -

I) You wish to document the two distribution territories on following 
two film circuits -
a) Bombay: maharashtra, North karnataka and Gujrat
b) Delhi-UP

and this will be documented through distribution strategies, financial 
shifts etc.  Right?

I am a bit unclear about you mentioning the 'A' and B grade films - and 
wondering how you are going to use it in your work - i just need a bit 
of clarification on it. Also is there any specific reason for choosing 
these two film circuits only??

I am working in a project which has similar (like your) interests. This 
project called as PPHP (publics and practices in the History of the 
Present) is looking at the changing and emerging media networks in the 
past 10 odd years - post globalisation era - in Delhi. We are looking at 
- film and video, cable Tv industry, popular music culture and media 
markets as networks and spaces circulating the various media forms in 
the city. Couple of our colleagues are based in Mumbai uncovering the 
'bollywood trade and its practices'.

It'll be really nice for you to get in touch with them. You will not 
only get some contacts but also a clarity on your own project and how 
you can ask 'more' from your field.

SO far the work that we have done is available of a CD that we had 
prepared. The complete CD may be accessed at:

http://pphp.sarai.net

But if you would want a copy of this, then i'll courrier it to you.

This CD will give you a sense of our research interests and how we are 
knitting the various media practices together. SO do check the film and 
video section of the CD. Also go through the the archive gallery - this 
will give you a sense of range of materials - including from the film 
world - which are part of our understanding of the project in general.

If you would want to have a copy of the CD - then let me know - i'll 
post it to you.

Waiting eagerly for your reply...

cheers
ritika


-- 
Ritika Shrimali
The Sarai Programme

http://blog.sarai.net/users/ritika

What good is that life which does not get provoked or provokes. 
Gottfried Benn