Classroom without Walls: German and Indian Cinema as Multicultural Pedagogical Tool Sub-Theme: Globalization and Cultural Transformation

Abstract

Cinema is never just about the entertainment or fun. It is an interesting and unique way of looking at the world and getting connected with the people across cultures. Cinema reflects stories, values, emotions, cultures, traditions and transfers important things such as messages about social awareness, historical knowledge, empathy, moral lessons, creativity, religious or spiritual ideas, language and communication styles, environmental awareness. This paper explores how cinema acts as one of the powerful tools of teaching. By studying the pedagogical use of the cinema, this paper focuses, how cinema is helpful to the students to learn about the foreign languages and cultures. Indian movies, especially Bollywood movies have become popular in Germany namely Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Sitaare Zameen Par. Indian Cinema has marked its special place in the classrooms of German universities to teach the students about the Indian traditions and multicultural patterns, while the German movies have a different perspective in India. Some examples of German movies are All Quiet on the Western Front, Run Lola Run. They are valued for their sanity, creative style, realism and philosophical intensity. Screening of Indian and German films at film festivals, academic programs, universities and cultural centres have introduced students and spectators of both the countries to European and Indian culture. This paper proposes that, when the cinemas of both the languages are thoughtfully analysed as a tool of education, then they can become more than just an entertainment and can become a classroom without walls. Together, they can build a communication bridge, which will make Indo-German relations stronger and opens new avenues for foreign language learning and cultural exchange in this modern era of digital globalization.