In India, few mediums shape public imagination as profoundly as Bollywood. Producing over 1,000 films and billions of views annually, it generates social scripts influencing how people dream, love, resist, and succeed.

This study explores the intersection of visual communication, participatory design, and motivation by adapting Bollywood’s signature arc of triumph into an interactive public installation. A comparative analysis of ten iconic films was done to identify common narrative motivators such as self-discovery, activated desires, and visualized victories, that inspire protagonists to achieve goals.

An attempt to induce these motivators in real-life scenarios was made through The Wishing Well, an interactive installation presented at the India Film Project, Mumbai. A six-foot cardboard well was erected, where participants wrote personal wishes on origami paper boats and released them into the well, symbolizing an external motivator event. This was followed by a digital questionnaire designed to introduce remaining motivators through guided self-reflection, prompting participants to reframe their passive ‘Wish’ as an active ‘Goal.’

To reinforce this transformation, a personalised Goal-book was sent to the participants. It consisted of psychological and behavioural frameworks, customised according to the participants responses, using AI.

The installation engaged 450+ participants, with 40 interviewed based on completion/engagement criteria. Thematic analysis showed that 95% reported increased belief in their ability to fulfil their wish, and 87.5% gained a more actionable perspective of their Goal.

The study demonstrates strong replicable potential by underscoring how culturally rooted media narratives can be harnessed to influence mindset and design behaviour change frameworks.

Authors:
Anisha Mane, Anisha Creatives, India

About the Presenter(s)
Ms. Anisha Mane is the Founder of a UX Design agency 'Anisha Designs'. Her work is based on expanding the impact of psychological concepts through art and technology.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Friday Schedule

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