Burden, Agency, and Transformation: Representation of Girlhood in Modern Hindi Cinema

Abstract

This paper examines the depiction of girlhood in modern Hindi cinema by critically evaluating the films Secret Superstar (2017), Dangal (2016), and Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020). By engaging with feminist theory, specifically the writings of Simone de Beauvoir and bell hooks, this paper explores the ways in which girlhood is socially constructed in patriarchal societies. This analysis reveals that these films begin by depicting girlhood as a burden created by control, silence, and the need for sacrifice. However, it is through the actions of agency, resistance, and determination that the female characters in these films resist these limitations. This paper will explore the significance of support structures, mentorship, and institutional contexts in creating alternative paths to empowerment. Furthermore, it will also examine the concept of internalized patriarchy and the role of women in upholding or overturning gender norms. Finally, this paper contends that modern Hindi cinema not only mirrors the existing social inequalities but also helps in reconstructing girlhood as a space of possibility, ambition, and transformation.