Introduction

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. CONTENTS v
3. A NOTE ON TRANSLITERATION vii
4. LIST OF FIGURES ix
5. Introduction 1
6. CHAPTER 1 Public Impersonators GENDER, CASTE, AND SOCIAL ONTOLOGY IN THE MARATHI VERNACULAR MOMENT 24
7. CHAPTER 2 Racial Impressions, Capital Characters DAVE CARSON BROWNFACES THE EMPIRE 42
8. CHAPTER 3 Remembering the Hunterwali’s Whip THE GHOSTS OF FEARLESS NADIA AND HER MANY GUISES 65
9. CHAPTER 4 In Gandhi’s Guise 85
10. CHAPTER 5 Playing the Yogi THE MAKING OF SWAMI BABA RAMDEV 109
11. CHAPTER 6 The Freedom to Dance PERFORMANCE AND IMPERSONATION IN LAGAN 127
12. CHAPTER 7 Mediatizing “Fake” Khwaja Siras THE LIMITS OF IMPERSONATION 148
13. CHAPTER 8 “We Are Better than the Women” UNDERSTANDING THE POPULARITY OF FEMALE ARTISTS IN KERALA 169
14. CHAPTER 9 Cosplay, Fandom, and the Fashioning of Identities at Comic Con India 191
15. CHAPTER 10 Possessed Impersonation DIVINE MIMESIS IN MALABAR 212
16. CHAPTER 11 Divine Embodiment in the Theatre of Ramlila 236
17. CHAPTER 12 Resisting Brahminical Patriarchy in Kuchipudi Dance THE STORY OF HALEEM KHAN 257
18. CONTRIBUTORS 277
19. INDEX 281