ABSTRACT The aim of this paper was to examine if brides view the consumption culture of Bollywood weddings and adopt it in their wedding practices due to the emerging growth of the wedding sector and the recent influx of capital in... more
ABSTRACT
The aim of this paper was to examine if brides view the consumption culture of Bollywood weddings and adopt it in their wedding practices due to the emerging growth of the wedding sector and the recent influx of capital in weddings. Globalization has given birth to this new genre of Bollywood weddings with its masala (generic) plot, packed with romance, fantasy, lavish consumption culture and family values alongside class disparities and gender imbalance. This study offers an inquiry to understand how these dimensions shown onscreen is best reflected in its real life counterpart. Indian weddings are becoming as elaborate as the ‘larger than life’ Bollywood weddings, by borrowing ideas, complete with lavish, exotic and innovative features as seen on the big screen. Fusing the Bollywood format into real weddings, has given birth to a fully professional commoditized industry with week-long celebrations. Brides are spoilt for choice and are reinventing the traditional space with a unique blend of Bollywood flavour.
Through thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with a sample of Indian brides, it also hoped to ratify the dimensions of capitalism, globalization and modernity against traditional Indian values. Although this area of study is under-researched, it nonetheless aims to produce interesting findings of the current socio-cultural practices in Indian weddings by making a contribution to the limited existing research available in this area. The findings are labelled into three core themes ‘Motives of consumption’, ‘Reinvented traditions’ and ‘Gender and class consumption’.
Overall, the study found that brides largely adopt the consumption culture of Bollywood weddings in their wedding practices. They aspire market driven luxury goods and services, through adopting modern practices marked by the reinvention of tradition as seen in Bollywood weddings, volunteering a conscious return to patriarchal relations (gender and class).
The aim of this paper was to examine if brides view the consumption culture of Bollywood weddings and adopt it in their wedding practices due to the emerging growth of the wedding sector and the recent influx of capital in weddings. Globalization has given birth to this new genre of Bollywood weddings with its masala (generic) plot, packed with romance, fantasy, lavish consumption culture and family values alongside class disparities and gender imbalance. This study offers an inquiry to understand how these dimensions shown onscreen is best reflected in its real life counterpart. Indian weddings are becoming as elaborate as the ‘larger than life’ Bollywood weddings, by borrowing ideas, complete with lavish, exotic and innovative features as seen on the big screen. Fusing the Bollywood format into real weddings, has given birth to a fully professional commoditized industry with week-long celebrations. Brides are spoilt for choice and are reinventing the traditional space with a unique blend of Bollywood flavour.
Through thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with a sample of Indian brides, it also hoped to ratify the dimensions of capitalism, globalization and modernity against traditional Indian values. Although this area of study is under-researched, it nonetheless aims to produce interesting findings of the current socio-cultural practices in Indian weddings by making a contribution to the limited existing research available in this area. The findings are labelled into three core themes ‘Motives of consumption’, ‘Reinvented traditions’ and ‘Gender and class consumption’.
Overall, the study found that brides largely adopt the consumption culture of Bollywood weddings in their wedding practices. They aspire market driven luxury goods and services, through adopting modern practices marked by the reinvention of tradition as seen in Bollywood weddings, volunteering a conscious return to patriarchal relations (gender and class).
Research Interests:
The aim of this paper was to examine if brides view the consumption culture of Bollywood weddings and adopt it in their wedding practices due to the emerging growth of the wedding sector and the recent influx of capital in weddings.... more
The aim of this paper was to examine if brides view the consumption culture of Bollywood weddings and adopt it in their wedding practices due to the emerging growth of the wedding sector and the recent influx of capital in weddings. Globalization has given birth to this new genre of Bollywood weddings with its masala (generic) plot, packed with romance, fantasy, lavish consumption culture and family values alongside class disparities and gender imbalance. This study offers an inquiry to understand how these dimensions shown onscreen is best reflected in its real life counterpart. Indian weddings are becoming as elaborate as the ‘larger than life’ Bollywood weddings, by borrowing ideas, complete with lavish, exotic and innovative features as seen on the big screen. Fusing the Bollywood format into real weddings, has given birth to a fully professional commoditized industry with week-long celebrations. Brides are spoilt for choice and are reinventing the traditional space with a unique blend of Bollywood flavour.
Through thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with a sample of Indian brides, it also hoped to ratify the dimensions of capitalism, globalization and modernity against traditional Indian values. Although this area of study is under-researched, it nonetheless aims to produce interesting findings of the current socio-cultural practices in Indian weddings by making a contribution to the limited existing research available in this area. The findings are labelled into three core themes ‘Motives of consumption’, ‘Reinvented traditions’ and ‘Gender and class consumption’.
Overall, the study found that brides largely adopt the consumption culture of Bollywood weddings in their wedding practices. They aspire market driven luxury goods and services, through adopting modern practices marked by the reinvention of tradition as seen in Bollywood weddings, volunteering a conscious return to patriarchal relations (gender and class).
Through thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with a sample of Indian brides, it also hoped to ratify the dimensions of capitalism, globalization and modernity against traditional Indian values. Although this area of study is under-researched, it nonetheless aims to produce interesting findings of the current socio-cultural practices in Indian weddings by making a contribution to the limited existing research available in this area. The findings are labelled into three core themes ‘Motives of consumption’, ‘Reinvented traditions’ and ‘Gender and class consumption’.
Overall, the study found that brides largely adopt the consumption culture of Bollywood weddings in their wedding practices. They aspire market driven luxury goods and services, through adopting modern practices marked by the reinvention of tradition as seen in Bollywood weddings, volunteering a conscious return to patriarchal relations (gender and class).