Telugu cinema constitutes the second largest film industry in India,
next only to Hindi in Mumbai. The first in-depth study of Telugu
cinema, Megastar analyses the powerful presence of popular culture and how films influence our daily lives in different ways.
Why do the biggest south Indian stars, especially those who cannot die
on screen, retire as politicians? Challenging established stereotypes,
this book traces the career of ‘Megastar’ Chiranjeevi from major movie
idol to leader of the political party, Praja Rajyam. Spanning three
decades of Chiranjeevi’s career––from 1978 to 2008––as he was
transformed from screen ‘rowdy’ to ‘reformer’, the book also analyses
the uniquely south Indian phenomenon of fans’ associations and ‘mass
films’. Srinivas’s ambitious interpretation throws new light on the
complex relationship between popular cultural forms and mass politics.
The large number of movie stills and related visuals help highlight the
fan-star-spectator relationship. They also illustrate the means by
which the star emerges as an object of spectatorial investment,
performing to our whistles and acting out our will. The book offers
insights into what such a star might carry over from the cinema to the
domain of electoral politics.
With its interdisciplinary approach and rich visual appeal, Megastar will be invaluable to students of film, media, cultural studies, sociology, politics, and history, as well as to general readers interested in Indian cinema.
http://www.oup.co.in/search_detail.php?id=145080