Book talk by Kunal Purohit on “H-Pop: The Secretive World of Hindutva Pop Stars”
Wednesday 13 November, 5:00pm
Nissan Lecture Theatre, St Antony's College
Away from the gaze of mainstream urban media, across India's dusty, sleepy towns, a brand of popular culture is quietly seizing the imagination of millions, on the internet and off it. From catchy songs with acerbic lyrics to poetry recited in kavi sammelans to social media influencers shaping opinions with their brand of ‘breaking news’ to books rescripting historical events, ‘Hindutva Pop’ or H-Pop is steadily creating societal acceptability for Hindutva’s core beliefs. By cleverly inserting Hindutva into popular culture, H-Pop normalizes Islamophobia, demonizes minorities and vilifies its critics each day, without ever making headlines.
What makes ‘Hindutva Pop’ or H-Pop so popular? Who are its stars and its audience? What is its impact on the BJP and Prime Minister Modi’s popularity? Award-winning independent journalist Kunal Purohit explores these questions in his riveting investigative book as he travels through India, profiling some of H-Pop’s most prolific and popular creators.