GENDERING OF GHOSTS: EXPLORING THE PATRIARCHAL ELEMENTS, PARANORMAL PRESENT IN POPULAR NARRATIVE IN THE SELECT KANNADA FILM ‘APTHAMITRA

Abstract

Patriarchy has undoubtedly scarred every possible aspect of human existence with its malicious claws; to the extent that even the speculated narrative around the dubious world of ghosts and spirits is loaded with gender bias and sexism. In most of the popular narrative, (books, TV shows, movies, etc.); ghosts, spirits, witches, and other such spooky manifestations are mostly women; and the ones most affected/possessed are also women more often than men. This sort of narrative is not new; it can be traced back to the (in)famous witch trials of the medieval world and the equally (in)famous ‘Madwoman in the Attic’ archetype popular in Victorian Literature. The same attitude can be observed in the Kannada film Apthamitra (2004), wherein the soul of a mistreated court dancer (Nagavalli) seeking revenge from a king, takes possession of the body-mind of a well-educated cheerful young woman (Ganga). The story is weaved in such a manner that the dancer (Nagavalli) is villainized and shown as evil for seeking revenge, while her persecutor (the king) is victimized. Also, the dancer’s lover, who was murdered along with her, is not shown seeking or turning into a ghost. The typical dichotomy of ‘the good, virtuous woman’ versus ‘the mad ranging monster’ can be observed in the behavior of Ganga, before and after she gets possessed. The cause of her getting possessed is attributed to her lonely childhood and the mental illness (split-personality) she developed as a result. Men are the ultimate saviors here - be they a revered priest, a renowned physiatrist, a loving husband or even a mere acquaintance. On the other hand, all the women of the house are subject to scrutiny and doubted to be under the influence of the evil spirit. Thus, the movie stands as an example of the sexist narrative around the paranormal world - which perpetuates irrational prejudices about women, such as their apparent emotional vulnerability, mental weakness, psychological volatility, lack of rationality, etc. - all of which are used as justifications for such biased portrayals.