Political and Religious Identity of Bollywood Superstars: A Narrative Framing Analysis of # BoycottBollywood Campaign

The easy accessibility of the private and off-screen persona of Bollywood stars to the common mass through social media make them more susceptible to online trolling in the age of religious and cultural nationalism, which uses Islamophobia by appealing to the fictitious collective consciousness of the majoritarian community. The emergence of the #BoycottBollywood social media campaign has exerted a noteworthy influence on the Bollywood industry, primarily by moulding distinct narratives. This paper investigates the narratives of #BoycottBollywood campaign and its ramifications on the minority status of Muslim superstars. Using narrative framing theory, as well as a two-stage mixed-method qualitative methodology, the present study locates five keyframes that form the foundation for discussions related to #BoycottBollywood: a) Muslim celebrities engage in ‘love jihad,’ b) Muslims exhibit violence and participate in terrorism c) Muslim celebrities propagate Hinduphobia, d) Bollywood poses a societal hazard, e) Bollywood generates substandard material.