Courses in this section: Critical Analysis of Literature and Cinema, Readings from Drama, Appreciation of Indian Music, Cinematic Adaptation, Musicology — An Introduction, Cinematic Art

Critical Analysis of Literature and Cinema

Critical Analysis of Literature and Cinema (colloquially termed CALCi) is taken by Professor Kumar Sankar Bhattacharya and generally remains open to all PR numbers. Despite having more workload than most HuELs, it is taken up by many students. The course seeks to impart the appropriate knowledge required to critically interpret works of literature and cinema. Throughout the course different short stories, plays, comics, novels, and films are analysed with the latter involving discussions on its technical aspects as well. 

Lectures are said to be discussive, with great emphasis on the various lenses through which the given piece of media could be analysed. Attendance is a must as not only is there some weightage for attendance in the course, but also, the professor is said to award interpretations that closely adhere to what was taught in the class. A C is awarded on average with approximately 10% of the students getting an A.

Readings from Drama

Readings from Drama is a relatively less sought-out course as it is considered more demanding than other HuELs. Consequently, it remains open for all PR numbers. Professor Prateek—specialising in theatre studies, Indian literature, and comic studies—will be taking the course this semester in place of Professor Kumar Sankar Bhattacharya. The coursework entails analysing various Indian and Western dramas like Macbeth, Doctor Faustus, and Abhijnanashakuntalam (Shakuntala). This is accompanied by discussions on topics such as societal aspects influencing the dramas, their cultural impact and more. 

The course requires high attendance as it may carry some weightage in the grade and the content is difficult to grasp in a short time. The grading in this course is good, with approximately 15–20% of students getting an A.

Appreciation of Indian Music

This course aims to help students gain an appreciation of music and understand it as a fine art. It deals with the history and development of music on the Indian subcontinent. Various taals and ragas of Hindustani and Carnatic origin are taught throughout the course. There are modules dealing with Thaat and Melakarta, musical compositions, musical instruments etc. 

This course is easily available as not many people opt for it. However, those without any prior musical training might find the concepts unfamiliar and challenging. Regular attendance is recommended for this course. The evaluation components vary year-to-year, but in the past have consisted of quizzes, tests, assignments, and practical exams. The grading is relatively lenient, with the lowest grade awarded being C and the average B-.

Cinematic Adaptation

This course aims to understand how the movie adaptation of a literary work materialises. Various aspects of filmmaking and literature such as characters, themes, setting, cinematography, screenplay, and sound are also analysed as the course proceeds.

Attending lectures is recommended as they are said to be fun and interactive. Evaluative components consist of two assignments along with the mid-semester and comprehensive examination, all of which are usually open-laptop components. Both the assignments and a significant portion of the exams are centred around a film adaptation chosen by the student at the beginning of the semester. The grading is moderate, and a grade of B- or C can be expected on average, depending on the strength of the class. The course is fairly popular, usually closing around the 500 PR number.

Musicology — An Introduction

The Musicology course is designed to introduce students to fundamental musical concepts, their history, and their development through Indian classical music. The course has both theoretical and practical components. It begins with a study of musical notes and basic taals and then moves on to raags, note recognition, and taal recognition. Professor Anil Rai teaches this course and it has a lot of overlap with another one of his courses, Appreciation of Indian Music; however, it is comparatively more advanced.

The course is available throughout all PR numbers, though it is recommended to have a background in classical music prior to taking it. Additionally, the course is said to be competitive since the few enrolled students are primarily members of the campus’ various musical clubs who are already versed with the course content. Hence, the grade received depends more on the overall rank than how far above the average the score is. It is crucial to attend classes if one is unfamiliar with the course material, especially during practical classes, as Professor Rai does not share any slides.

Cinematic Art

Cinematic Art aims to systematically teach film analysis and critique methodologies to students. Several films are brought up and analysed in class regardless of who is teaching the course. Additionally, the lectures involve discussions on the technical aspects of filmmaking, notable film movements, and the history of cinema. The films vary with the professor taking the course but generally comprise arthouse films. 

The importance of attendance is said to vary depending on the Instructor-in-Charge. It is said that attendance is recommended when the course is taught by Dr Paul Mathew, owing to Dr Mathew’s discussive pedagogy. The course is offered in both semesters and remains open to all PR numbers. Due to the limited number of students, your final rank will have a greater bearing on the grade you receive than your marks.