Depiction of Religious Minority Characters in Bollywood Movies: A Content and Semoitic Approach

Abstract

This research explored the representation of religious minority characters in Bollywood Movies with a quantitative and qualitative approach. Thirty movies were selected that had leading religious minority characters Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs. The study theoretically linked with Representation theory By Stuart Hall with semiotic lens and Framing theory. Every movie was analyzed six times in different dimensions. The unit of analysis was an entire scene, 1365 scenes were analyzed for the purpose of the portrayal of religious minority characters. The results of the research clearly indicated that the religious minority character was painted as negative in the Bollywood movies. Furthermore, Muslim characters in the Bollywood movies were more negative, Ridiculed, and Dumb and their behavior was more aggressive and language accents were harsher were counted as compared to other religious minorities. The Christian community was painted as lazy and Sikh Characters were portrayed as respected manner. Symbolically the minority characters were portrayed diversely in a bad manner and associated with terror actives. Bollywood become a worldwide communication medium and its portrayal is important in the East as well as in the West. Bollywood is playing a negative job of harming the picture of Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, and Muslims through such sort of portrayal.