Understanding Indian (Hindi/Urdu) Literature: Through Text and Images (Visual)

3 units

This course focuses on the films and cultural traditions of South Asia in general and of India in particular. Students will be introduced to a variety of contemporary literary genres through visuals. Readings and class discussions will be followed by film screenings from the popular Hindi cinema (known as the Bollywood industry in India) to demonstrate how images and visuals influence modern-day cultural traditions. Students will also get a chance to work on films based on literary texts by well-known writers of the subcontinent. These readings and films focus on various social, cultural, political and historical aspects of Indian society. Students will be encouraged to explore these issues in their written assignments as well as in their class discussions.