Film and TV narratives in India are embedded within contradictions of social and economic inequalities on the one hand alongside a vast array of goods and services available in an increasingly liberalized economy on the other. The urban middle class are cosmopolitan ‘global’ citizens, with a marked pride in ‘Indian-ness’. Witness to increasing crime and corruption; they are equally fascinated by the myriad possibilities of desire and consumption. The most commonly accessed and visible navigation of these competing discourses occurs on the popular visual media situated at the heart of an impressive culture industry.

This paper is based on fieldwork over the past two years in the media industries as well as ethnographic research, against the backdrop of an increasing recognition of India as a global player in the opening years of the twenty-first century. It examines the space of family, conjugality and family values in contemporary popular film and TV narratives; and explores the urban dilemmas around futuristic aspirations on the one hand and cultural apprehensions on the other.