ABSTRACT
Item numbers have come to define song and dance sequences in Bollywood films from an entirely new perspective. This chapter considers the performance of item numbers and the body-image ideals it offers for young dancers, especially women performers. Looking into the genres of song and dance in Bollywood, this chapter traces how the item number has become an appendage to the central narrative of the film but in reality remains the most popular element in terms of the cultural memory of audiences. In understanding the structure, content, and performances of the item number, this chapter tries to answer how and why the item number has attained its popular status both in India and among the diasporas.
