Abstract
Throughout the world, patriarchy has had a long and dominant presence in shaping power dynamics and gender relations. The manifestation of patriarchal ideology is complex and multifaceted and its influence can be observed in various aspects of life, within families and beyond. Patriarchal norms have become so deeply ingrained and normalized in society that both men and women conform to them almost instinctively. While feminist movements have tried to break the shackles of patriarchy, the process has never been complete. As such, patriarchy continue to strive in newer forms and through different agents. Cutting across the intersections of caste, class and sexuality, the article attempts to take a critical look at how women today traverse the conditions of patriarchy in India. The gender analysis of the Netflix-released Hindi film Qala investigates how patriarchy operates within and beyond the family. Using a backward narrative and locating the story in the India of pre-independent times, Qala represents the gendered society of India at a time when the world was witnessing a surge of feminist movements across nations. Yet by going back in time, we argue, the filmmaker very cleverly tries to dismantle the claims of progress and gender consciousness in 21st century India. By doing so, the filmmaker perhaps attempts to comment that the very structures of patriarchy that existed earlier are still relevant and glaring in the many instances of suppression and discrimination that exist in the India of today. The article therefore offers a critical reading of the Indian film Qala and the baggage it carries of patriarchal bias in society.
Published Version
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