The Cinema of India examines in detail twenty-four landmark films from one of the world's largest national cinemas. Gathering writings by renowned scholars of Indian cinema, this collection provides a novel framework for reading film. Taken together, these essays act as a guide to deciphering the varied terrain of Indian film production and its reception both nationally and globally. The volume offers a comprehensive consideration of the histories of different regional cinemas; the role of studios; the place of "middle" cinema and its relationship to state subsidies; the style of popular films; the allure of stardom; the resistant style of art films; the resurgence of auteurism; and the poetics of documentary. The study discusses a range of films released over a period of more than sixty years, including Sant Tukaram (1936), Parasakthi (1952), Pather Panchali (1955), Pyaasa (1957), Bhuvan Shome (1969), Ghattashradda (1977) and Ram Ke Nam (1991). The Cinema of India examines in detail twenty-four landmark films from one of the world's largest national cinemas. Gathering writings by renowned scholars of Indian cinema, this collection provides a novel framework for reading film. Taken together, these essays act as a guide to deciphering the varied terrain of Indian film production and its reception both nationally and globally. The volume offers a comprehensive consideration of the histories of different regional cinemas; the role of studios; the place of "middle" cinema and its relationship to state subsidies; the style of popular films; the allure of stardom; the resistant style of art films; the resurgence of auteurism; and the poetics of documentary. The study discusses a range of films released over a period of more than sixty years, including Sant Tukaram (1936), Parasakthi (1952), Pather Panchali (1955), Pyaasa (1957), Bhuvan Shome (1969), Ghattashradda (1977) and Ram Ke Nam (1991).