REPRESENTATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN BOLLYWOOD MOVIES

Prepared by : Komal ShahedapuriRoll No : 14Paper -12 : ELT - 1M.A (English) : Sem -3Enrollment No :2069108420170027Batch : 2016-18Email ID :komaltara1311@gmail.comSubmitted to :Smt .S. B Gardi ,

Department of English,M. K Bhavnagar University

Importance of English Language (L2) in India

English is second language after one or more Indian languages, (native language) which are primary and more significant.

Many phrases are used for English like Lingua Franca, window to the world, international language, etc..

In India, English here is a placeholder. Being fluent in English, in the sadly skewed universe of contemporary India, automatically codes you as modern, fashionable, worthy of respect. Not being fluent in it relegates you to the backroom, a second-class citizen, unworthy of display.

Representation of English Language

English, the most widely used language in advertising and sports programmes , and of course especially in the broadcasting of cricket matches. For the younger audience, various music channels of the television companies at present show almost exclusively video clips with Hindi pop music, gradually displacing foreign English-language numbers.

In movies, English language represent in both negative and positive way. In positive way as the language which is connects the world and make us global. While on other way, it represent as language of power that kills the native languages of India.

English Vinglish

Shashi gains Identity, Freedom, Self-Respect and happiness in the process of learning English. Before that she was mocked by her children and husband too and treated as a servant. She feels insecurity and inferiority.

Cruelty of her husband’s words cut her to the core: that “My wife was born to make laddoos !”

She realizes her lack of English skills holding her back in the world, then she decided to go to English Tuition to improve her Speaking English. At last, She overcomes from her fear of don’t know English and give her last speech throughout English in which she got distinction.

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English make Shashi interactive with her fellow international students include a Pakistani cab driver, a South Indian engineer, a Mexican nanny and a smitten French man (Mehdi Nabbou), also a cook, who tastes her laddoos and tells her, “You are an artist.” Shashiretorts,

“When Men cook food, it’s art

But when Women cook, it’s their duty”

Because of English Language, she is able to express her ideas and able to questioning as she asked her teacher

“Why India is not the India , why America is the United States of America”

Hindi Medium

• Couple struggles to get admission in English medium schools for their daughter.

• English as a marker of social class as Mita said

“English is not just a language but class”

• She worried a lot about her daughter’s future that if she don’t learn English how she can survive in society where others speak how she can be understand or fit in it without English , may she will go into depression.

• Both have tried a lot to get admission in English school for their daughter even they became poor to fill form from poor cota.

Mita wins every argument with her husband just by asking him English spellings of every English word he utters and making him feel inferior. His husband says ‘My life is Hindi but my wife English’

The film shows that our society is divided into two parts those who speak English and those who don’t.

Mita forces her daughter to speak only in English because she believes that English is class not tongue , to enter/fit in it good English school is necessary .

As Irrfan says in the film, French or Germans speaking broken English is no big deal for us, but an Indian struggling with the Queen's English? What a hopeless person! In his Last speech he said “I am only speak in English because ,

‘India Is English, English is India’

HALF GIRLFRIENDRiya, student of B.A with English and Madhav, student of B.A with Sociology. The whole movie focus on these two characters.

Riya is fluent in English as her parents and atmosphere around her is accordingly while Madhav is weak in English as he grown up in village in Bihar and he wants to work for education of village.

In interview at St. Steven collage , he is not be able to speak in English but has good ideas. English becomes barrier for him in his good work for education .

He fell in love with Riya’s English speech and he also try to speak in English with her but he tells her to speak in Hindi with him because he feels comfortable with his mother tongue.

In Riya’s Birthday Party, he feels uncomfortable because of all people there speak in English only Riya’s mother speak in Hindi with him, so he suddenly bow down to her as he feels familiar with Hindi.

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Madhav wants to get grant for development of his school from Bill Gates foundation for that he has to prepare speech in English.

Riya taught him English speech in a practical way by using basic skills like listening , reading billboards in a market or on the roads and practice him to speak practically that speech.

But Madhav is not be able to speak properly in English , speak in both Hindi and English but his thoughts are very good that touch the people and Bill Gates to give Grants , they said that his language of speech is the language of heart which comes naturally.

English as language of impression and attitude which impress people when someone speak in English like in a movie Happy New Year, a song, Surrender Hua of Badrinath ki Dulhniyaand Famous dialogue of Amitab in a movie Namak Halaal

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