Prostitution, pee-ing, percussion, and possibilities: Contemporary women documentary film-makers and the city in South Asia

Abstract

This co-authored article offers an analytical overview of contemporary women documentary film-makers and the latter's engagement with ‘the urban’ in South Asia. It shows how a proliferating range of women directors represent the city through their political positions and dialogic sensibilities; often using the lens of feminism, sexuality, power relationships, and diasporic experiences to reflect the vibrancy and vitality (alongside the despair and destitution) embedded in urban existence in South Asia. The article is written collaboratively by Sen (an urban anthropologist) and Thakker (a documentary film-maker). While Sen highlights the recent trends in documentary film-making and its impact on their audiences, Thakker offers a personalised account of film-making in Mumbai. Inspired by the symposium, ‘Beyond Borders,’ and also by a history of communiqué between Thakker and Sen, this co-authored article grapples with questions about the production and representation of feminine urban spaces through sound, multimedia content, and visual tracks.