Cinema and Social Transformation:Decoding the public perception on role of Hindi Cinema

Abstract

Despite its vacillation between the two extremes of sometimes being awfully responsible and at others
outright sensational, Indian cinema continues to mirror social reality. It is overwhelmingly believed that
cinema plays a social reformer to which much of the social transformation in India can be attributed. Of
late, the drive to link box office returns as a success parameter and the resultant commercialisation of
cinema have undermined its social theme carrier role. The commercially driven attempts to cater escapist
and fantasy-oriented entertainment raise questions about the impacts of social cinema, especially in driving
social change. This paper attempts to answer this question through a social survey on impacts of cinema in
India