http://theses.ncl.ac.uk/jspui/handle/10443/66 2026-05-13T09:19:15Z http://theses.ncl.ac.uk/jspui/handle/10443/6760 Title: The Influence of Hindustani classical music on Indian cinema : a rasa-raga tala approach Authors: Shah, Punit Jaipal Abstract: This thesis seeks to identify and appreciate the lasting influence of two pioneering notions from the Indian sub-continent’s cultural memory and history – rasa theory and Hindustani classical music – on Indian cinema’s music making traditions. Rasa theory is an important contribution from the ancient Indian Sanskrit drama compendium, the Nāṭyaśāstra, whose rudimentary precepts have provided a template for the workings of nearly all major fine art forms in the sub-continent. North Indian or Hindustani classical music is known to be rasacentred, as, without emotional expression, its effectiveness is negligible and creates no counter-emotional responses in the audience. Both rasa and Hindustani classical music have informed Indian cinema such that a majority of film songs are based on some rāga and tāla, and each song or piece of background music score corresponds to a particular emotion. The thesis argues that in an Indian talkie film there is little or no rasa manifestation without the rāga-tāla or melodic/rhythmic intervention. The thesis is divided into two parts. Part 1 provides the essential background, history and theory to ancient Indian aesthetics, the system of North Indian classical music and Indian cinema. Part 2 leads to further detailed analyses and case studies based on selected works of music directors, including Madan Mohan, Roshan, Naushad and Rahul Dev Burman. This part also examines in detail two rasa-centred films: Jalsaghar (1958) by Satyajit Ray and Devdas (2002) by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. While there is academic research that views Indian cinema more generally through the lens of rasa, there is no evidence of scholarly work which specifically explores the influence of rasa-rāgatāla on Indian cinema. This thesis addresses that gap and fills it with relevant analyses. The thesis not only demonstrates how to appreciate Indian cinema and associated expressive acting, diegetic and non-diegetic musical compositions, dances and melodramatic narratives using the rasa theory and Hindustani classical music; it also analyses in detail, what lies behind the formation of various situational film songs: particular rāgas and tālas implemented, specific melodic and rhythmic combinations used. It also scrutinises the impact on spectators with respect to manifestation of rasa-bhāva experiences, where rasa, the essence, signifies a fundamental mental state, and bhāva, the state of mind, is understood to be feeling, emotion or mood. 2 My conclusions argue that while western models of film criticism have been in favour of realism, this is not relevant here because the generic codes and conventions of Bollywood are non-realist. Instead of a bias towards a predominantly rational and realism-oriented medium of film criticism, a rasa-rāga-tāla-based analysis draws the focus of critical attention back to emotion-infused music and its various possible methods of expressive enunciation. Simultaneously rasa theory’s capacity for understanding the art of abhinaya (acting) in conjunction with Hindustani classical music in the context of the culture – of its makers, various characters, and their performances – proves to be an invaluable asset for analysing and re-thinking apparently stereotypical, stylised performances of Hindi cinema. Overall, this research work covers relevant aspects of Hindustani classical music, Hindi film/music studies, the ancient rasa theory, Sanskrit studies, Indian philosophy, anthropology and culture, thus making it a cross-disciplinary venture. Description: PhD Thesis 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://theses.ncl.ac.uk/jspui/handle/10443/6748 Title: Fruit of the vine : investigating improvised musical composition as a contradictory tool to un/cover occluded knowledge Authors: Soper, Adam Lawrence Abstract: This project comprises of an archive of liturgically produced recorded improvisations, accompanied by creative esoteric and profane reflections. The archive is hosted on a website (www.fruitotvine.com) where each improvisation can be experienced in a random order. Each performance took place in line with the phases of the moon, with around two performances being undertaken every month. These recorded performances were undertaken solo and in collaboration with others, as well as in various locations from the domestic, to the academic, to the professional, to outdoor rural and urban environments. Each performance, and the project as a whole, is concerned with concepts of change, searching, and the hidden. It is rooted in a belief that there is an ineffable presence of something beyond human consciousness and experience, the threshold of which can almost be outlined in improvised practices, yet it can never be traversed, and this something cannot ever be known or understood. As such, this work is additionally concerned with the striving for impossibilities. The reflections that make up the body of this thesis are structured by the random selection of the website, and cover the banalities of how individual performances were undertaken – what technique or instruments were employed; who the collaborators were; what the location was – as well as dealing with philosophical or occultic topics being explored at the time of recording the works, and creative interpretations of what the sounds present in the music could be perceived to mean. Description: PhD Thesis 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://theses.ncl.ac.uk/jspui/handle/10443/6740 Title: Colonial complicity, exceptionalism, and decoloniality : an examination of Scandinavian national museums’ displays Authors: Topdaş, Muhammed Abstract: Scandinavian countries have long been perceived as havens of untouched nature, simplicity, Protestant values, social egalitarianism, and a deep-rooted democratic culture (Aronsson, 2012, p. 172). This has historically led to exceptionalist identities that view their colonial actions as relatively small and insignificant (Fur & Ipsen, 2009). However, this perspective has recently been challenged to some extent by the growing influence of the decolonial turn, resulting in a wide range of research in this area (Naum & Nordin, 2013). This thesis focuses on the colonial connections of Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Sweden, and Norway), exploring how this colonial complicity is portrayed in museum representations, specifically in displays. The study scrutinises national museums, assessing their influence on shaping exceptionalist identities and their engagement with decolonial discourses, evaluating how these institutions have initiated and incorporated decoloniality into their representations. To achieve this, the research encompasses three case studies: the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen, the Museum of World Culture in Gothenburg, and the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo. The research takes into consideration the size of the museums and respectively scrutinises one exhibition from each to determine the nature of knowledge constructed through displays. Interviews with museum curators complement this analysis. Building on literature that demonstrates the Scandinavian countries' colonial relations, the thesis argues that museum displays sometimes challenge exceptionalist narratives but often fall short of being genuinely decolonial. At other times, displays demonstrate a decolonial approach yet simultaneously contribute to the reinforcement of exceptionalist ideas. In this regard, Norway’s case study aligns with the first approach, while Denmark’s resembles the second. On the other hand, Sweden’s case study stands out from Denmark and Norway by achieving a comparatively more impactful representation in both exceptionalism and decolonial approaches. This comparison shows how Scandinavian countries, which are not usually seen as colonial powers, deal with these legacies while maintaining exceptionalist narratives about their colonial involvement. Description: PhD Thesis 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://theses.ncl.ac.uk/jspui/handle/10443/6721 Title: Insta-Trainer: The cultural and social impact of Instagram on the well-being, diet, and lifestyles of young Qatari women Authors: Al Derham, Sara Abdulaziz H. A. Abstract: In my thesis, I introduce the term Insta-Trainer to describe a new paradigm of instantaneous training facilitated by visual-based social media platforms, particularly Instagram. This concept highlights how users—especially young women in Qatar—are trained to adopt self-disciplining practices in health, lifestyle, and diet through seemingly informal yet persuasive digital content. The idea of Insta-Training is central to understanding how platforms function as instant pedagogical tools. I draw on Foucauldian (Foucault, 1977; 1978; 1991), postfeminist (Gill, 2007; 2017; Banet-Weiser et al., 2020), and neoliberal (Harvey, 2005; Berry, 2017) frameworks to analyse the interplay between platform design, algorithmic governance, and user behaviour. My research interrogates how Instagram’s multialgorithms influence users’ health choices, the negotiation of agency within these spaces, and the behavioural patterns shaped by micro-trends. I also explore how these practices shifted pre- and post-COVID-19. Using Thematic Analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006; 2012; 2021; 2022), I analyse 41 survey responses and eight in-depth interviews to extract three core themes: 1. The Healthy Qatari Citizen explores biopolitical narratives of health and critiques how these are internalised and enacted through platform use. 2. Curated Digital Manuals (CDMs) examines three types of content curation on Instagram, addressing visibility labour, cultural erasure, and algorithmic bias. 3. The New Wave of Online Consumption investigates changing digital habits post-pandemic, including mass unfollowing of influencers and more intentional engagement. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to Media and Cultural Studies and the literature on Arab Gulf women. The concept of Insta-Trainer offers a framework that future researchers can use to critically examine the influence of platforms on health, identity, and culture in digitally mediated societies. Description: PhD Thesis 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z