Aysha Iqbal

Professor
Room No: HSB 342
Tel: +91 44 2257 4521
E-Mail: draysha@iitm.ac.in
Academic Background:
- MA (Lit), MPhil (Lit) and PhD (Lit) from Vikram University, Madhya Pradesh
- MPhil (ELT) and PGDTE from CIEFL, Hyderabad
Areas of Research Interest:
- Film Studies
- Drama
- American Literature
- Popular Culture
- Fashion Studies
Courses Introduced and Taught:
Introduction to Western Classics, Introduction to Film Studies, Principles of English for Specific Purpose, Principles and Practice of English Language Teaching, Contemporary Indian Novel & Drama in English, Film Theory & Practice, Introduction to Popular Culture, Great Film Directors , Advanced Concepts in Film Studies, Narrative in Literature & Cinema, Asian-American Writings in English, Screenwriting, City Culture in Films & Literature, Fashion in Literature and Cinema, Advanced Studies in Indian Cinema.
Research Guidance:
Ph.D.:
- Vimal Mohan John, Film / Gender Studies: Masculinity in Contemporary Hollywood Films 2010-2014 (degree awarded)
- Gopika Sankar, American Literature: Representation of American Urban Spaces and City in South Asian-American Novels 2010-2014 (degree awarded)
Post Doctoral Guidance:
- From May-Oct 2014 Vimal Mohan John was on IITM’s extended fellowship that functioned like a PDF.
M.Phil. Supervision:
- 2 (degrees awarded in 2004)
M.A. Projects Supervision:
Publication details:
Books:
- Aysha Iqbal Viswamohan. Stardom in Contemporary Hindi Cinema: Celebrity and Fame in Globalized Times. (edited volume, with Clare M. Wilkinson) . New York, London, New Delhi: Springer, 2020.
- Behind the Scenes : Contemporary Bollywood Directors(eds). Sage, 2017. “Introduction” by Aysha Iqbal Viswamohan. (co-edited with Vimal John).
- Post-liberalization Indian Novels in English: Global Reception & Politics of Award. London: ANTHEM, 2013.
- English for the Hotel Industry. New Delhi: Pearson, 2013.
- English for Nurses. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill, 2010.
- English for Technical Communication. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill, 2007 rpt 2008.
- Arthur Miller: The Dramatist and His Universe. Chennai: T.R. Publishers, 2006.
- It Happens like This: a Novella. Kolkata: Writers Workshop, 2004.
Select Papers:
- ‘Bollywood’s Angromance: Toxic Masculinity and Male Angst in Tere Naam and Kabir Singh‘. Journal of Asia-Pacific Pop Culture. Vol. 5, No. 2, 2020. The Pennsylvania State University, pp.147-171. (co-author Sanchari Basu Chaudhuri).
- ‘Narcissism, Masochism and the Reconstituted Male—Masculine Performances in Fight Club and The Wrestler’. Journal of Creative Communications. November 2015; Vol. 10, No. 3, 276-287. (Co-author Vimal John)
- “Haute couture and the discourse of stardom in globalized times: Sonam Kapoor as Hindi cinema’s representative fashion icon”. South Asian Popular Culture, Vol 12, Issue 2, 2014, pp 73-88. Routledge. Taylor & Francis , UK
- “Arthur Miller and New York State of Being”. Studies in Theatre and Performance . Vol 34, No. 1, 2014 , pp. 62-74. Routledge. Taylor & Francis , UK
- “Masculine Practices and Reception of Chinese Cinema in India.” Literary Insight. Vol 3, Jan 2012, pp. 34-40.
- “English in Film Songs from India”. English Today , Vol 27, no 4 , Sept 2011, pp 21-24. Cambridge, UK.
- “Home, Immigration, and Fractured Identities in Kiran Desai’s The Inheritance of Loss.” Journal of South Asian Review. Vol 32, No 2, 2011, pp259-274. Univ of Pittsburgh, USA.
- “The Rhetoric of Spam mail.” ELTJ, 64/1, 2010, pp 85-94. Oxford, UK.
- “Greed, Cynicism & Betrayal. Images of City in Postliberalization Indian Cinema” The Journal of Contemporary Literature, vol 2, no.2, July 2010, 149-171.
- “Interrogating Liberal Ideals: Arthur Miller’s Clara and Vijay Tendulkar’s Kanyadaan.” Journal of Arts: Gendang Alam, Issue 2, 2011, pp 23-38. Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
- “Radicalism& Rebellion: Relevance of Brecht in Present Times”. Atlantic Literary Review. 9, pp. 47-57, 2008.
- “Tagore’s Chokher Bali: Aesthetic and Ethical Considerations”. JSL Journal of Art, literature and Culture. Spring 2006, pp 112-121.
- “Ten Steps to Teaching English for Academic Purposes.” Modern English Teacher. vol.14, no.3, July 2005, pp 19-21. Modern English Publishing, UK.
- “Code-Switching in Popular Journalism”. English Today. vol. 20, No.3, July 2004 , pp.34-36. Cambridge Univ. Press, UK.
- “Hybridizing and Glocalizing English: the Language Revolution with Hinglish” Indian Linguistics. Vol 65, no1-4, 2004, pp. 197-214. Linguistic Society of India, Deccan College, Pune.
- “Urmila: Feminist Concerns and Existential Dilemma. Indian Literature” Sahitya Akademy publication, December 2001, No. 206, pp. 184-189. Sahitya Akademi
Book Chapters:
- Aysha Iqbal Viswamohan. “Introduction”. Stardom in Contemporary Hindi Cinema: Celebrity and Fame in Globalized Times. (co-author Clare Wilkinson Weber). New York, London, New Delhi: Springer, 2020.
- Aysha Iqbal Viswamohan. ‘Saif Ali Khan: Stardom and the Alchemy of Celebrity’ (with Liza Tom). Stardom in Contemporary Hindi Cinema: Celebrity and Fame in Globalized Times.
- Aysha Iqbal Viswamohan and Sayanty Chatterjee. ‘The Rural in the Glocal Intersection : Representation of Space in Shyam Benegal’s Welcome to Sajjanpur and Well Done Abba.’ Kar Chaudhuri, Sneha and Ramit Samaddar eds.The Films of Shyam Benegal. Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, 2020.
- Mansoor Khan: Narrative and Aesthetic Impulses of a Director in ‘Self’ Exile. In Contemporary Hindi Film Directors, Sage, 2017.
- Farhan Akhtar: Stardom of the Poster Boy of ‘New’ Hindi Cinema. In Contemporary Hindi Film Directors, Sage, 2017.
- “Marketing Ladlit, Creating Bestsellers: The Importance of Being Chetan Bhagat.” In Postliberalization Indian Novels in English: Global Reception & Politics of Awards. London: Anthem, 2013, pp.19-30.
- “Kiran Nagarkar and the Discontents of Masculinity”. Masculinity in Postcolonial Indian Writing in English. Letizia Alterno & Rajeshwar Mitapalli (eds). New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers, 2009, pp. 83-99.
- “Teaching EAP/ESP in India”. EAP and ESP in Developing Countries: Current State of Play vs Actual Needs and Wants. Mark Kznawroski (ed). London: Garnet Education & British Council, 2009, pp. 137-144.
Projects and Major Workshops Organized at IITM:
- Chennai International Screenwriting Workshop. Sponsored by Dr Kamal Haasan’s Raj Kamal Films International, May 2009.
- Partnership Development seed Grant, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, Calgary, 2010.
- Imaging Cinema Filmmaking Workshop 5-10 May 2010
- Imaging Cinema Screenwriting/documentary Workshop 18-20 January 2011
- Imaging Cinema Filmmaking Workshop 1-10 June 2012
- Imaging cinema Screenwriting Workshop 7-14 June 2014
- IITM-Behindwoods Festival of Tamil Cinema June-July 2014
International/ National Awards & Recognition:
- Invited by BBC-Culture (UK) for participating in their poll on 100 Greatest films directed by women directors. The list was published on the BBC-Culture website in November 2019. Website: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20191126-the-100-greatest-films-directed-by-women-who-voted-a-l
- In conversation with Mr Ziya Us Salam (Frontline magazine) at ‘Author’s Corner’, World Book Fair, New Delhi on 6 January 2018.
- Invited by BBC-Culture (UK) for participating in the poll on ‘All Time Greatest Foreign Language films.’ 2018. http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20181029-the-100-greatest-foreign-language-films-who-voted
- Invited by BBC-Culture (UK) for participating in their poll on 100 greatest comedies of all time. The list was published on the BBC-Culture website in August 2017.
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20170821-the-100-greatest-comedies-of-all-time-who-voted
- Invited by BBC-Culture (UK) for participating in their poll on 21st century’s greatest films. The list was published on the BBC-Culture website on 23 Aug 2016.
- Best Paper Award. “Masculine Practices and Reception of Chinese Cinema in India” by Higher Education Society, New Mumbai, 2013.
- Invited for a lecture series “Trends in Contemporary Hindi Cinema”. Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Feb 2012.
- Consultant for South Asian Film Festival 2012. Vancouver, Canada.
- Associate Fellowship , IIAS, Shimla, 2012.
- Canadian Faculty Enrichment Fellowship, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, 2009.
- Finalist for Young Faculty Recognition Award, IIT Madras, 2008 & 2009.
- Ray Tongue Scholarship, British Council-IATEFL, UK 2005.
- UGC-JRF/NET (1993)
Conferences/Workshops:
Papers presented at Conferences/Workshops (International):
- Aysha Iqbal Viswamohan. “Gali, Mohalla aur Bazaar: A Study of Neighbourhood Culture in the Mediated Representation of the Small Towns in Contemporary Hindi Cinema”. ‘ CONNECTIONS: EXPLORING HERITAGE, ARCHITECTURE, CITIES, ART, MEDIA organized by Architecture,Media, Politics, Society (AMPS)’. University of Kent, Canterbury, June 29-30, 2020 (virtual presentation with Sayanty Chatterjee).
- ‘Desiring Bodies and Smoldering Hearts: Performing Femininity through Voice’ (co-authors Namita and Nakul Krishnamurthy). When the Music Takes Over: Musical Numbers in Film and Television, Department of Music, University of Salzburg, Austria, 9 March 2018.
- “Contemporary Hindi Film Directors: From Behind the Scenes to Being Scene Stealers” . Invited talk at SOAS, London, 27 April 2016.
- “When Shakespeare Meets Bollywood: But Where Are the Comedies?” . Paper presented at “Indian Shakespeares on Screen” Asia House, London, 29 April 2016.
- Presented a paper ‘Haute couture and Star Iconography in Postliberalized Hindi Films.’ Fashion 7 Interdisciplinary conference. 26th Sept 2015 at Mansfield College, Oxford University, UK.
- Chaired a session on ‘Textile Production and Sustainable Fashion.’ Fashion 7 Interdisciplinary conference. 25th Sept 2015 at Mansfield College, Oxford University, UK.
- Vimal Mohan John & Aysha Iqbal Viswamohan. “Sam Mendes’s suburban America and performances of anxious masculinity.” New directions in the humanities. San Pablo University: Madrid. 12-15 June 2014.
- “Background Music in Contemporary Hindi Cinema.” CINESONIKA Conference. School of Interactive Arts and Technology. Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada. February 2012.
- “Masculinity in the films of Paul Thomas Anderson.” (with Vimal John). Paris International Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences Research, 24-28 July 2012.
- “Masculinities in Chinese Cinema & Reception in India”. China in the World. Open University Hong Kong, 5-8th January 2011.
- City Culture in Indian Cinema. MICOLLAC 2009, University of Putrajeya, 29 April 2009.
- Streets in Indian Cinema. 5th Great Asian Streets Symposium, Dept of Architecture. National University of Singapore, 6 December 2008.
- Notion of America in Popular Hindi Films. 53rd Annual Conference of British Association of American studies, University of Edinburgh, UK, 28 March 2008.
- A headway in the IT world (Global-Sig) at 39th IATEFL conference, Cardiff, UK, 6th April 2005.
- Using Media in ESP/EAP contexts: A Workshop (ESP-Sig). 40th IATEFL conference, Harrogate, UK. 10 April 2006.
- Teaching ESP/EAP in India . 40th IATEFL conference, Harrogate, UK. 8 April 2006.
Other Academic Activities:
- Attended Film Appreciation Course at FTII, Pune. May16-June 11, 2011.
- Attended Screenwriting Workshop at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver. 21-25 June 2010.
- Developed course modules for Distance Teaching. English & Foreign Languages University, (formerly CIEFL), Hyderabad, India. Part of Postcolonial literature for Distance Mode MA programme
- Developed Online Courses
- Contemporary Literature, Video module, 2012
- Contemporary Literature, Web module, 2012
- Introduction to Film Studies, Video module, 2013
- ‘Literary Theory & Literary Criticism’ Jan-Feb 2015
- ‘Film Appreciation’, May-June 2015
- Technical English for Engineers’ Jan-April 2016
- American Literature & Culture. July-Oct 2016.
- English Language for Competitive Exams. Jan-April 2017.