Abstract Book of the 3rd Global Conference on Gender Studies
Year: 2025
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Violence Against Women in Hindi Short Films: An Analysis on Devi, Nitishastra, Juice
Aaradhana Panikkar, Dr. Yadamala Sreenivasulu
ABSTRACT:
This study utilises Kimberle Crenshaw’s (1989) intersectional feminist theory to analyse resilience against gender-based violence as depicted in three Hindi short films: Juice (2017), Nitishastra (2018), and Devi (2017). These films explore this theme in the private, public, and societal spheres, respectively. This study, guided by three research questions, examines: the portrayal of micro-rebellion in Juice as a form of resilience against systemic violence within the private sphere, shaped by gender and class; the depiction of physical resistance in Nitishastra as resilience against psychological and physical violence in the public sphere, influenced by gender and social status; and the representation of women’s unison in Devi as resilience against sexual violence in the societal sphere, informed by class and age. This study employed qualitative content analysis to examine narrative, visual, and audio elements, thereby elucidating how intersecting identities influence resilient responses. The findings underscore micro-rebellion, physical resistance, and collective unison as significant challenges to patriarchal norms, thereby addressing existing gaps in Hindi short film scholarship. This study makes a substantial contribution to global gender studies by linking Indian cinema to feminist discourses such as the #MeToo movement and proposing policy recommendations for educational and digital advocacy.
Keywords: micro-rebellion, resilience, resistance, short films, violence