Towards A Gender Fluidity: Analysing Gender Constructs in Rituparno Ghosh’s Movies

Abstract

Gender has always been a point of contention in all eras and cultures, as it is a dynamic manifestation of each contemporary societal prescription rather than a fixed entity. These postulations on gender roles are the cause of the evolution of a culture that is binary and heteronormative. It took centuries for the intellectual circle and common folk to acknowledge the overt existence of a third-gender category as well as non-binary experiences. By the 1990s, queer depictions in cinema had made a considerable impact that instigated a new perspective towards their living experiences and sense of identity. The present study is an analysis of the intersection of gender, identity, and sexuality and their representations in cinema. Queer representations in global cinema are endured a gradual transformation of recognition has been pioneered by New Queer Cinema (NQC), which features honest queer narratives both about and by themselves as well as unabashed depictions of their desires and predicaments in this society where the binary, heteronormative state is standardised. This study narrows down the influence of NQC on the Indian cinematic landscape, which is an intricate web of traditionality and modernity in every stratum, with a prime focus on the Bengali regional film industry. This is an extensive investigation into the fallacy of gender suppositions and the notion of gender fluidity in the movies of Bengali director Rituparno Ghosh, who pioneered NQC in Indian cinema by examining the topics of gender fluidity, identity formation, and societal standards. His movies like Bariwali, Shubho Muharat, Chokher Bali, Raincoat, and Shob Charitro Kalponik are analysed to explore how Ghosh‘s characters, who are hitherto regarded as heteronormative, binary individuals, defy the conventional standards of gender performances, thereby exploring the elements of gender fluidity and illustrating NQC traits in Ghosh‘s movies.