Librería Samer Atenea
Kálamo Books
Librería Elías (Asturias)
Librería Kolima (Madrid)
Librería Proteo (Málaga)
This book examines Bollywood as an instrument of India’s cultural diplomacy and soft power, arguing that Hindi cinema functions as an informal ambassador shaping global perceptions of India often more effectively than formal diplomatic channels. Drawing on Joseph Nye’s soft power framework, it traces how Bollywood’s music, narratives, and aesthetics have built familiarity and goodwill toward India across regions such as the former Soviet bloc, the Middle East, Africa, and the diaspora, while also considering how the Indian state has leveraged this cultural export through festivals and diaspora outreach, alongside a critical reflection on its limits including the gap between cinematic representation and lived reality, and tensions between commercial and diplomatic goals, ultimately positioning Bollywood as a significant, if informal, actor in India’s global identity formation.
