Heroism in Telugu Cine-Politics

This paper suggests a theory for the influence of heroism in South Indian cinema-politics and how that is shown in Telugu language films. To demonstrate this theory, I interpreted themes of heroism in four films, thus formulating a working definition for my thesis and providing an analysis of the relationship between heroism and political influence. My interpretation affirms my theory that Telugu film heroes who transition into political life offscreen nevertheless retain the aura of their film hero selves that were so beloved by audiences. This blurred transition from film to political hero is facilitated by the nature of the heroism particular to Telugu cinema. The implications of this influence bear on cultural pride and perhaps instilling a sense of purpose in the audience advocates for their choice heroes. Deification and memory contribute to these sentiments.