Subtlety is Overrated:
An Ode to Melodrama
On excess, melodrama & cultural resistance.
by Neha Hosangadi
To properly define a melodrama, it is “a sensational dramatic piece with exaggerated characters and exciting events intended to appeal to the emotions,” according to Oxford Languages. They utilize themes rooted in human connection, such as love, loss and family to resonate with an audience and are often hyperbolic in nature. Not only does this evoke strong emotions in the viewer, but it also allows them an opportunity to examine and process these feelings. This approach to storytelling and filmmaking is extremely prevalent in Indian cinema. Melodramas also tend to reflect the cultural and societal norms from where the media originates. In the case of Indian cinema, we see narratives include family & community, honor, respect, modesty, and spiritual foundations. These themes are fairly common in Asian media more broadly, whether that be Korean dramas or Pakistani television serials, as is the enduring presence of melodrama as a genre and collective meaning.
Indian and American cinema are wildly different, in the more formal elements of narrative structure and style, of course, but also in how they deal with emotions. Indian cinema serves up an abundance of emotion on a thoroughly decorated platter, while the latter practices restraint and control. This article by Polyester Zine examines how the Western public has long considered melodramas to be gross because of the excess of emotion. Melodramas evoke “primal” emotions, and this outcome is purposefully designed by filmmakers. In the eyes of critics, this is a masterful manipulation. And such films are not taken seriously, seen as trivial and unserious, in comparison to more logical and rational ones. Historically, Indian cinema has embraced sensationalism through dramatic moments, family narratives and masala. The best Indian melodramas subtly weave larger themes of class divide, religious difference and societal norms in between musical numbers and emotional monologues. Yes, they are excessive, but that does not mean they are without meaning.
"The accusation of melodrama is serious: it suggests that the showy exterior or expansiveness of a book disguises a lack of real meaning and purpose." Torsa Ghosal, via Public Seminar
The grandeur and intensity of Indian melodrama doesn’t just look different. It challenges Western ideas of what “good” cinema should be, and that is exactly where the general critique of the melodrama slowly veers into cultural bias. South Asians have always been seen as “too much” in white-dominated spaces: too smelly, too loud, too expressive, too dramatic. Despite having started several trends that exist within the “clean girl aesthetic”, such as hair oiling, yoga and wellness rituals, we have been erased from these cultural communities for this very reason. At the same time, we don’t neatly fit into eclectic or cool spaces either—despite South Asian culture being deeply maximalist, from the way we present ourselves to how we express emotion.
Maximalism is a visual language with its own merit and beauty, so when Indian cinema has been making maximalist films for decades, why is this art so often dismissed as frivolous rather than whimsical? Most mainstream Bollywood films, for instance, have historically been musicals; yet Western musicals like La La Land are far more readily embraced as Real Cinema. This is admittedly a slight tangent, as Hollywood has produced countless melodramas—often romance films—that receive similar critiques of being unserious, though these reactions tend to be more gendered than racially motivated. Still, the point remains: Indian cinema is routinely dismissed because of its supposed excess, while Western maximalism is framed as more tasteful and palatable. Ultimately, melodrama is a form of emotional maximalism in Indian cinema, and honoring it feels, in its own way, like resisting whiteness and Western standards that position minimalism, “clean aesthetics,” and realism as the pinnacle of art.
"When cultural critics praise minimalism as the unanimously agreed-upon height of literary style, they uphold and entrench a legacy of elevating the white male writers—like Ernest Hemingway and Raymond Carver, both mentioned in Barth’s essay—who are strongly associated with the minimalist school." Torsa Ghosal, via Public Seminar
Interestingly enough, a significant portion of the general population of Bollywood movie watchers, in particular, has slowly distanced themselves from this melodramatic, over-the-top form of storytelling, preferring more realistic and raw stories without all the embellishment. There is, of course, nothing wrong with having a personal preference or seeking out diverse styles of films. I like to balance my Jab We Met and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani with a Masaan or even Piku. They serve different purposes and lend themselves to completely different experiences as a viewer. I am an equal fan of dramatic and mundane films. At some point, however, I wonder whether this shift stems from internalized cultural bias. I strongly believe that preserving Indian maximalism can, in its own way, function as a quiet form of anti-imperialism.
If distancing ourselves from melodrama is partly rooted in internalized cultural bias, then it is worth asking what we lose in the process. An essay from ScreenComment makes a compelling point about how we often approach so-called “hard-hitting” films as critics first, watching them with caution and analysis. Melodramas, on the other hand, invite you to stop thinking for a moment and simply feel. You can take a breath and allow yourself to become emotionally involved. Even objectively bad movies can be enjoyable if you just let yourself have some fun. At the end of the day, melodramas are just escapist fiction. Their high-stakes and emotional intensity create far-fetched narratives that offer a distraction when your own life feels heavy. While these moments may seem nonsensical, they are pure entertainment, and they can also hold deep meaning if you allow yourself to look closely enough (and feel deeply enough). And that, to me, is the very power of the Indian melodrama.
In embracing Indian melodrama, I am not shying from its emotional overindulgence but rather recognizing its cultural inheritance and rejecting the Western notions of sophistication and aestheticism. And also, just having some fucking fun.
Quintessential Portrayals Of The Indian Melodrama
*This list is primarily Bollywood (Hindi cinema) as that is the regional industry I am most familiar with and can speak to being “quintessential,” but as stated earlier, melodrama is essential to Indian cinema as a whole. Additionally, the list serves as a starter pack rather than an exhaustive list of my personal recommendations.
- Kal Ho Na Ho: a dramatic romance surrounding a man with a terminal illness
- Amar Akbar Anthony: a nonsensical action comedy about brotherhood that looks at religion from a pragmatic lens
- Pakeezah: post-partition visual poetry in this romance about forbidden love and societal norms
- Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge: a classic romance against contrasting backgrounds of Europe and India capturing the diaspora experience, about independence and autonomy
- Devdas: *insert Polyester Zine’s entire thinkpiece on the film…* a tragic romance against the backdrop of classism and pride
- Pyaasa: on art, love & capitalism
- Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana: a romantic comedy on class difference
- Sita Ramam: a period romance about an army officer in the 60s who falls in love with a woman through letters
- Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham: the Bollywood family drama with epic monologues, ensemble casts and grand sets about class differences and filial duty
- Sholay: a classic action masala film on revenge and friendship with melodramatic elements
- Baahubali: an epic fantasy saga about duty, honor, and good versus evil in an ancient Indian mythological kingdom
- Veer Zaara: a post-partition romance about two individuals separated by borders and religion
- Chandni: a classic romantic love triangle where a young woman must choose between her long-lost love and a new suitor who supports her in her time of need, supported by iconic songs and beautiful visuals