JOURNAL ARTICLE

Oh India! Pornography, Postcoloniality, Transnational Assemblages.

  • Published In: Journal of Asian & African Studies (Sage Publications, Ltd.), 2025, v. 60, n. 7. P. 4100 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Roy, Ahonaa 3 of 3

Abstract

The article examines the complex intersections of sexuality, gender, and globalization in Indian popular culture through three key cases: Bollywood star Sunny Leone, South Indian actress Silk Smitha, and the 2004 Delhi Public School (DPS) MMS scandal involving a leaked sexual video. It explores how hypersexual imagery in Indian cinema and media is simultaneously stigmatized as obscene and pornographic while also being commodified within transnational capitalist markets, revealing tensions between nationalist moral anxieties and neoliberal consumerism. The analysis situates these phenomena within postcolonial frameworks, highlighting how race, class, and colonial legacies shape the representation and reception of sexual identities in India. Ultimately, the essay argues that these cases reflect broader cultural negotiations around modernity, morality, and economic globalization, challenging traditional notions of Indian womanhood and national identity.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of Asian & African Studies (Sage Publications, Ltd.). 2025/11, Vol. 60, Issue 7, p4100
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Communication and Mass Media
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:0021-9096
  • DOI:10.1177/00219096241243064
  • Accession Number:188807184
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journal of Asian & African Studies (Sage Publications, Ltd.) is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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