This is the first book to investigate how mental illness is portrayed in Hindi cinema. It examines attitudes towards mental illness in Indian culture, how they are reflected in Hindi films, and how culture has influenced the portrayal of the psychoses.Dinesh Bhugra guides the reader through the history of Indian cinema, covering developments from the idealism of the 1950s to the stalking, jealousy and psychopathy that characterises the films of the 1990s. Critiques of individual films demonstrate the culture's approach towards mental illness and reflect the impact of culture on films and vice versa. Subjects covered include: Cinema and emotionAttitudes towards mental illnessSocio-economic factors and cinema in IndiaIndian personality, villainy and historyPsychoanalysis in the films of the 60s.Mad Tales from Bollywood will be of interest to psychiatrists, mental health professionals, students of media and cultural studies and anyone with an interest in Indian culture.


Dinesh Bhugra is Professor of Mental Health & Cultural Diversity at the Institute of Psychiatry. He has written extensively on cultural factors and mental illness, psychosexual medicine and spirituality.