Book Review: Management through Indian Cinema

Management through Indian Cinema by Dr. Vikas Khare and Dr. Ankita Jain is a celebration of Indian cinema, from the 1970s, when the term Bollywood was first coined, to the present day. Bollywood has now become the new mecca for cinema. The authors explores the most recurring themes and the most popular Bollywood characters, while offering a fascinating overview of the evolution of commercial cinema in India.

Bollywood is not just a gigantic film factory but is also the place where a certain idea of the industry has been forged, in images, in music and in choreography. The management dimension, which combines history, economics, sociology and an aesthetic approach to images, allows us to dive in depth of Bollywood and to decipher its relationship with the rest of the world.

The objective of the book is therefore to go beyond the strict study of a cinematographic repertoire to embrace the various aspects which develop the Mecca of Indian cinema. The authors aims, through a variety of approaches, to capture the complexity and extent of the Bollywood phenomenon.

The ambition is to articulate Bollywood in an interactionist perspective where management defined in its industrialized form appears as the sum of shared expectations that individuals use to coordinate their activities, with fixed traces of a collective action in constant development.

During this cinematographic journey, in which eight episodes overlap, the reader will discover to what extent the "emotional fabric of Bollywood" is linked to the daily life of the country, and how its films offer a perfect escape route towards the romantic, ideal and colourful world that they represent.

Management through Indian Cinema, is a very entertaining and intuitive work, which invites you to walk the Bollywood boulevard with large doses of management learning from legends like Dadasaheb Phalke, Guru Datt, Satyajit Ray, Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Madhubala, Nargis, Lata Mangeshkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, Madhuri Dixit and movies like Pather Panchali and Apu Triology, Shree 420, Anand, Lagaan, 3 Idiots, Dangal to Mission Mangal.

Management through Indian Cinema explores the nature of mainstream Hindi cinema and explains how the actors and movies shaped Bollywood. It looks at by a singularity, the management of artistic talents, selection of stakeholders, commitment of artists and technicians around projects.

The book has much to say to scholars and students of Indian cinema who are curious about the ways in which a dream world sells multi-coloured fantasies on a grand scale, as well as to the general reader and fan of global cinema.

The novel narrates the rise and adventures of stars. Dwelling on the backdrop hidden behind the tinsel, the authors not only captures the ins and outs of such an exotic industry – with the motley gallery of actors, directors, producers, extras, gossip columnists, gurus and hangers-on of all kinds who swarm through it, but rather offers management lessons.

I don't remember getting bored while reading it, I really liked the description of each character, and how complex is the entire process of making films. The authors doesn't just put their stories on paper, but they are told in such a way as to capture the details.

This superb book is everything we could have expected. It will be indispensable for scholars and a delight for the general reader. The success of Bollywood cinema is due to its popularity, but also to a powerful and structured film industry.

Reading not only immerses you in the world of cinema but also in that of the great actors in just a few pages. The book is a small encyclopaedia of Bollywood, to be leafed through. The authors explains in their book the inner aspects of cinema, showing the conflicts of egos, power relations, unforeseen events and human limitations that occur during the filming of a movie.

Precisely because the author offers multiple perspectives on different aspects of the phenomenon that is the creation of a cinematographic work, this book has, in my opinion, great potential for teaching some aspects related to the medium. It is, ultimately, an interesting book to educate the public about the complexity of cinematographic creation.

The book aims to bear witness to a reality to explain the process of some of the most legendary films ever made. Among connoisseurs of film history, the ins and outs of the development and cultural impact of Bollywood are well known.

If it became one of the most mythical industries, it is because to a large extent its success was the hard work and disciplined system among the men behind the screen and consolidation of trends in production, distribution, and exhibition. But it is also that the obstacles and conflicts of its production turn its story into a cinema lesson that is, at the same time, an exciting story about perseverance and human creativity.

The book offers glimpses of how internal rivalries and fights among members are sorted. The book delves into the challenges in making a film from the beginning, the daunting logistical difficulties and countless sacrifices required to accomplish the task of creating a memorable film. For this reason, returning to the starting point of this review, if we take it with due caution, the book can serve us as a valuable lesson in cinema.

Book Info:

"Management through Indian Cinema" is a unique and innovative approach to teaching management principles and techniques. This book explores the rich and diverse world of Indian cinema and how it can provide insights and examples for effective management and leadership. The book is divided into eight sections, covering everything from the history and genres of Indian cinema to the modern legends of the industry.

Section 1 provides an introduction to Indian cinema, including its impact and framework, history, genres, styles, approaches, regulatory and legal framework, and role in the Indian economy.

Section 2 delves into the relationship between Indian cinema and management, exploring management in Indian cinema, management of film making, and management through Indian cinema.

Section 3 focuses specifically on management through Indian cinema, examining how Indian cinema can teach financial management, marketing management, project management, brand management, event management, and risk management.

Section 4 explores management learning from the legends of Indian cinema, including Dadasaheb Phalke, Guru Datt, Satyajit Ray, Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Madhubala, Nargis, and Lata Mangeshkar.

Section 5 provides management learning from iconic movies of Indian cinema, such as Pathar Panchali, Shri 420, Manthan, Satyakam, Aanand, 3 Idiots, Marykom, Rocket Singh salesman of the year, and more. The section also includes management learning from iconic songs and dialogues of Indian cinema.

Section 6 focuses on the analytics of Indian cinema, including business analysis, behavioral analysis, SWOT analysis, and PESTLE analysis of the industry.

Section 7 explores management learning from the modern legends of Indian cinema, including Anil Kapoor, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, Farah Khan, Madhuri Dixit, and Joya Akhtar.

Finally, Section 8 delves into the charisma of Indian cinema, examining how extraordinary people like Rajnikant, Rajamouli, and Kapil Sharma can provide management insights. Overall, "Management through Indian Cinema" offers a fascinating and practical approach to learning management principles and techniques, using the rich and diverse world of Indian cinema as a guide.

Author info:

Dr. Vikas Khare is an Associate Professor in School of Technology, Management and Engineering, NMIMS, Indore M.P., India. He obtained his B. Tech (Honors) in Electrical Engineering in from GEC Sagar, M. Tech (Honors) in Energy Management from School of Energy and Environment and Research DAVV Indore, PGDM in Information Technology and Management from NGASCE NMIMS Mumbai and Ph.D. from National Institute of Technology Bhopal, India.

He is Certified Data Analyst from Indian Institute of Technology Madras. He is also a certified energy manager under the bureau of energy efficiency in India and Fellow Member of Scholars Academic and Scientific Society, India. His main research interests are renewable energy systems, data analysis, Artificial Intelligence, optimization techniques, game theory and Big Data.

Dr. Khare has published various research paper in reputed journals such as Elsevier and Taylor & Francis and published Four International books “Decision science and operational management of solar energy system”, Tidal energy system”, “Ocean Energy Modelling and Simulation with Big Data”, Design and Optimization of Bioenergy System in Elsevier publication USA and four books in National publication, Renewable Energy in Balaji Publication, Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering, Fundamentals of Electronic Engineering; and Basics of Electrical and Electronics Engineering in Dhanpat Rai Publication.

He is also a Reviewer in International Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Elsevier, Journal of Energy Elsevier and International Journal of Sustainable Energy Taylor and Francis.

Dr. CA Ankita Jain is a chartered accountant by profession. She has also completed DISA (Diploma in System Audit), a value addition in her profession. She is having over 18 years of professional experience. She has done her Bachelor degree in Commerce (B. Com) and Masters degree in Commerce (M. Com) from DAVV, Indore. She has also completed her PhD in Commerce from DAVV, Indore.

She is a single author of the international book namely “Role of Government subsidies on the growth of MSMEs” published by Lambert Academic Publishing. She is member of Editorial board of MAT Journals namely Journal of Business Analytics and Data Visualization, Journal of purchasing, logistics and supply chain management, Recent trends in Data Mining and Business Forecasting.

She is faculty in Prestige Institute of Global Management (PIGM), Indore India. She has been visiting faculty for many years for different colleges like Narsee Moonjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Indore, Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Technology and Management (LBSITM), Indore, School of Commerce (SOC), DAVV, and Pioneer College of Professional Studies, Indore.

She is in the field of academics for last 14 years. She is the author of a number of Research papers published in reputed national and international Journals. She is special Director in Shubh Laxmi Mahila Cooperative Bank.