William Elison is an ethnographer and historian of religions whose work delves into the contemporary practice of South Asian traditions, with a particular focus on Hinduism. His research critically examines the complex role of visual forms, such as sacred icons and popular cinema, in mediating religious and social subject positions. Elison's scholarly approach prioritizes understanding these phenomena among non-elite populations and through their vernacular languages, offering a unique perspective on lived religious experience.
The 1977 blockbuster Amar Akbar Anthony about the heroics of three Bombay brothers separated in childhood became a classic of Hindi cinema and a touchstone of Indian popular culture. Beyond its comedy and camp is a potent vision of social harmony, but one that invites critique, as the authors show.