Book Review: ‘Spectacle State’ by Brahma Prakash

Book Title: Spectacle State: How Hindutva Shapes Feeling and Culture
Author: Brahma Prakash
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Number of Pages: 304
ISBN: 9373073125
Date Published: Jul. 14, 2026

Book Review

“Spectacle State: How Hindutva Shapes Feeling and Culture” by Brahma Prakash examines Hindutva not only as a political ideology but also as a cultural and emotional force.

The book studies how politics enters everyday life through religious processions, festivals, monuments, music, street performances, and public celebrations. Its central argument is that political power is often expressed through colour, sound, movement, and visual display.

In the book, Brahma Prakash explores how feelings such as pride, fear, anger, victimhood, devotion, and belonging are created and shared through these public spectacles. He looks beyond political leaders and speeches to understand how cultural symbols and performances influence the way people see themselves and others.

The discussion of music, theatre, and popular cultural forms helps show how identity can be shaped through both emotion and entertainment.

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The book is intellectually demanding but offers a fresh way to study contemporary Indian public life. Readers familiar with politics, culture, and social theory may find its arguments especially engaging, while some sections may require careful reading because of the theoretical ideas involved.

To conclude, “Spectacle State” is a significant and thought-provoking work that encourages readers to examine how culture, emotion, and politics interact in society.

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