The Cinematic-Taxonomy: Film, Finance, and Power in India
The Cinematic-Taxonomy: Film, Finance, and Power in India This note proposes a taxonomy of Indian film industries based on their primary economic drivers and political linkages. We identify four distinct but interconnected models: the Parallel Economy (Bhojpuri) , the Politicized Personality Cult (Tamil) , the Corporate-Studio Hybrid (Hindi) , and the Director-Led Disruption (Telugu) . The growing Overseas Market acts as a strategic financial and reputational layer for all models. Underpinning this entire ecosystem is the pervasive use of film production as a mechanism for capital formation, money laundering, and political influence, challenging the traditional notion of cinema as a story-driven commercial art form. 1. The Bhojpuri Model: The Parallel Non-Theatrical Economy The Bhojpuri industry operates almost entirely outside the conventional theatrical framework, functioning as a self-contained financial loop. The I...