1. I Need an
Indian Touch
Glocalization,
Indian culture,
and Bollywood

2. Objective
The author wants to show that Western
culture did not overtake Indian culture in
films. Rather, Bollywood took bits of
Hollywood and blended it into their own
Indian film style.

3. Rationale
To show how the idea of “Glocalization”
can help us understand how “global” and
“local” influences merge. The author
argues that the idea of Globalization alone
cannot really explain what happens when
the “West” comes to a county (i.e. India).

4. Method and Process
Method:
The author used a somewhat critical approach,
because he explores how two cultures (Western
Vs. Indian) negotiate influence in Indian film.
Process:
Qualitative-Informal and formal interviews

5. Significance ofFindings
The author studied four elements of Bollywood to
Investigate the Glocalization phenomena:
Clothes-Characters are shown in Western clothing, but Indian
viewers insist characters (especially heroines) wear traditional
dress for some scenes. This shows that Indians can be
cosmopolitan, but also unabashedly Indian.
Locations-Films may be shot all over the world, and not just in India.
However, even if the film is set in New York, all the
characters and extras speak Hindi. To Indians, this satisfies
the need for exotic locations, while ensuring the film is
quintessentially Indian.

6. Significance ofFindings
Songs and Dance
Song and dance have always been an integral part of Indian film, and
even today a Bollywood film is judged by its musical content. What has
changed, however, is the allowance for foreign dancers and some Salsa,
Pop, and Hip Hop. It is typical for Indian dancers to be dressed much
more conservatively than the foreign dancers. In this way, they balance
Indian values with enjoyment of how Westerners depict sexuality in dance.
Familial Emotions
Even today, many Indians view Hollywood films as emotionally dry and cold.
For their own Bollywood films, they introduce emotion by emphasizing
“relational emotions such as love, anger, and sacrifice”. So even if filmmakers
borrow a Hollywood plot, family will be shown in more scenes. The take our
rational individualism and turn it into their social emotionalism (14).

7. Significant Quote 1
“The active audience of Bollywood films in
India does not passively succumb to Westernization,
but rather successfully demands a compromise between
Westernization and India; indeed, That Western
adapts to India.”

8. Significant Quote 2
„‟I like the movies that portray the Indian
culture. Indian culture cannot go too far away
in films. People will like the Westernization,
but their culture is their own…they want some
variety and diversity in their culture but they
don‟t forget their own culture.‟‟
-Rajesh

9. Questions for Discussion
1) This article takes a positive view of globalization by
asserting Westernization can be negotiated by each country
with no ill effects. He calls this Glocalization. Do you agree
with his positive approach? What examples have you seen of
Westernization? Was it all positive?
2) The author used only interviews in his research. Was this
sufficient? Would you add any other methods to a study
like this? Why or why not?

10. References
Rao, S. (2010, February). "I Need an Indian Touch": Glocalization and
Bollywood Films. Journal of International and Intercultural
Communication, 3(1), 1-19.