Question

• Identify other instances of glocalisation. Discuss.
• Have you noticed any changes in the films produced by Bollywood? While at one time there were scenes shot in foreign countries, the stories remained local. Then there were stories where characters returned to India even if part of the story was set abroad. Now there are stories set entirely outside India. Discuss.

Answer 1

Part 1: Other Instances of Glocalisation

Glocalisation occurs when global products or ideas are modified to suit local cultural practices and tastes.

1. Fast Food Menus: International chains modify their menus completely for India (e.g., McDonald’s McAloo Tikki Burger, Domino’s Paneer Tikka Pizza, and Subway’s completely vegetarian outlets).
2. Television Formats: Global reality TV shows are adapted into local regional languages with localised drama (e.g., Kaun Banega Crorepati from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Bigg Boss, and Shark Tank India).
3. Corporate Marketing: Multi-national tech brands like Apple, Google, or Amazon launch emotional, festival-centric advertisement campaigns tailored specifically around Indian traditions like Diwali or Raksha Bandhan.
4. Retail Modifications: Global furniture giant IKEA adapted its layout in India to include pressure cookers, specialised spice jars, and cafeteria food menus serving local vegetarian dishes like idlis and biryani.

Part 2: Sociological Shifts in Bollywood Films

The transformation of themes and settings in Bollywood movies mirrors India’s economic journey through liberalisation and globalisation.

1. The Early Era: Foreign Locations with Local Realities
   • Characteristics: Films used foreign landscapes (like Switzerland or London) purely as exotic backdrops for song-and-dance sequences.
   • Sociological Context: The core storyline remained deeply rooted in rural or traditional middle-class Indian realities, values, and family systems.
2. The Transitional Era: The Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Narrative
   • Characteristics: The narrative shifted to characters living, working, and studying in foreign countries (e.g., movies like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge or Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham).
   • Sociological Context: Even though characters lived abroad, the emotional focus was always on “returning to their roots” or protecting local Indian traditions from Western moral degradation.
3. The Modern Era: Stories Set Completely Outside India
   • Characteristics: Modern films feature characters born and raised abroad or living completely globalised, cosmopolitan lifestyles (e.g., movies like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara or Dil Dhadakne Do).
   • Sociological Context: The struggles are no longer about adjusting to a foreign land or returning home. Instead, they handle universal, individualistic modern conflicts such as mental health, personal freedom, corporate burnout, and changing relationships completely detached from traditional geographic or domestic boundaries.