The Curious Case of a “Lady Oriented Film” From India: Feminist Films, Film Censorship and the Nature of Indian Democracy

Conference: The Paris Conference on Arts & Humanities (PCAH2022)
Title: The Curious Case of a “Lady Oriented Film” From India: Feminist Films, Film Censorship and the Nature of Indian Democracy
Stream: Sexuality, Gender, Families
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Authors:
Anisha Datta, Western University, Canada

Abstract:

The paper will focus on the political and cultural controversies surrounding the attempted censorship of the feminist Indian film Lipstick under My Burkha (2016), in order to critically examine the patriarchal anxiety that plagues the functioning of Indian democratic state institutions. This Hindi language feature film, directed by Alankrita Shrivastva narrates the interconnected struggles for freedom and desire of four women of various class, age and religious backgrounds in India. The leitmotif that runs through their stories of struggle and resilience is how they challenge male control over their sexuality and body. The film upends the mainstream Indian morality, which is predicated on the power structures of patriarchal family and class. Although, it encountered opposition from the Censor Board of India, the film went on to win international accolades at the Tokyo and Mumbai Film festivals. Besides, after battling the Censor Board, when the film was released it was a commercial success in theaters across India. Deploying the method of critical discourse analysis, and drawing on postcolonial feminist theories the paper will demonstrate how the goal of women’s emancipation from the shackles of patriarchy cannot be achieved through espousing abstract axioms, but through active participation by women with agency.



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