Page 28 - From Bombay to Bollywoord The Making of a Global Media Industri

Introduction >> 15

An image that captures Hollywood’s anxieties and the emergence of Bombay as a global
media capital.

ventures and remove obstacles. However, this incarnation of Lord Ganesha
suggests more than just the act of seeking blessings for a new beginning. Let’s
take a closer look, then, beginning with the body of the new deity whom
I shall name, at the risk of incurring his wrath, Anilesha, after the CEO of
Reliance Entertainment Mr. Anil Ambani.
In keeping with the times, Anilesha, as we can see, has cast aside the tri-
dent and the small axe in favor of the more modern and task-appropriate
mobile phone and the megaphone. The lotus remains in place, as does the
other hand held up to bless devotees. The plush throne and cushions apart, he
is also more austere and understated, leaving behind the intricately designed
headgear (mukut), necklaces, rings, and gold-embroidered (zari) lower-body
garment (dhoti) for a few tasteful bracelets and a simple, almost Buddha-like
ochre robe. One must not, after all, offend the sensibilities of devotees strug-
gling in a harsh economic climate. And perhaps as a sign of affection toward
Steven Spielberg, surely his most ardent devotee now, Anilesha too wears a
sports cap. A closer look at his lips, hands, and feet suggest delicate features
and perhaps even a certain degree of androgyny, which is not surprising
given the long history of Indian men being rendered effeminate in colonial
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discourse or, for that matter, in American film and television. The plate of
sweets and other offerings have been replaced by a film reel and pictures of