Bollywood dance as political participation? On flash mobs, new media, and political potential

A flash mob dance performance at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) in Mumbai, India, on November 27, 2011, revealed the implicit political dimensions of Bollywood dance when set to popular culture and new media. This event sparked online debates, highlighting how such performances can serve as a form of political participation. The study situates this CST flash mob within broader Bollywood dance scholarship, examining its global proliferation and digital circulation as fandom in performance. It explores the intersection of live performance, popular culture, and new media to assess democratic potential, offering insights into how grassroots cultural expressions can engage with local and online contexts.

Shresthova, S. (2013). Bollywood dance as political participation? On flash mobs, new media, and political potential. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 19(3), 311–317. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354856513486532