Born in New Zealand and educated in England, Jonathan Gil Harris lived in the US for twenty-three years before moving to India. Formerly associate editor of Shakespeare Quarterly and president of the Shakespeare Society of India, he is the author of many books, including Untimely Matter in the Time of Shakespeare, Shakespeare and Literary Theory and, most recently, the bestselling The First Firangis. He is also an avid follower of Hindi cinema; his articles on Bollywood and globalization have been published in the Hindustan Times. Harris now lives in Delhi, where he is Professor of English at Ashoka University.
Masala is a word that conjures up many associations. The word derives, through Urdu and Persian, from the Arabic ‘masalih’—ingredients. To a westerner, it immediately suggests exotic eastern spices. In its most widespread metaphorical use in India, it means embellishment or exaggeration. It also means a mixture—originally a mixture of ground spices, but more metaphorically any kind of mixture, especially one of cultural influences.
