Beyond Borders: Exploring the Portrayal of Women in Diasporic Films

Diasporic cinema is a scholarship of film making which is based on the themes of migration, identity

and culture. It is about the lives of people who live in other countries and not their homeland.

 

Women have several important responsibilities in the domestic and working domains. Thus they

have a fair amount of representation in the diasporic films. Women play as key characters in these

narratives, where they are burdened by their cultural identities as they try to adapt to their new

surroundings.

 

The tension between following traditional values and the values of the new society is enormous for

women. This struggle is very beautifully and correctly projected in the films made by diasporic film

artists such as Mira Nair, Gurinder Chadha and Deepa Mehta.

 

For example, the film Bend It Like Beckham, directed by Gurinder Chadha describes the challenges

faced by the members of the South Asian diaspora in the UK. The film is about a Punjabi-British girl

named Jess who desires to play professional football but must also limit herself because she is

born in a strict Punjabi household. There exists a serious gap between the generations as well as a

stark contrast of cultures. Her parents want her to focus on her studies, learn how to cook, and get

married to a Sikh boy, while her coach and teammates continue to support her to play football.

 

Another example of a movie portraying challenges faced by women is Mississippi Masala by Mira

Nair. The film is about the  relationship between Mina, the daughter of Indian immigrants, and

Demetrius, an African-American man. The film deals with themes of race, gender and women's

experiences in diaspora. The character portrayed by Mina is noteworthy. She is caught between the

expectations of her Indian parents and the American style of living. She constantly fights between the

desire for independence and the obligations to her family and her cultural background. The film

highlights the unique experiences of women in the diaspora.

 

Bollywood films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge portray the lives of women characters, including

the challenges they face in significantly different ways. Simran, the female protagonist, lives with her

family in London but her family is strictly “Indian”. Women are often caught up in sticking to the

“Indian culture” in these films. Her father exerts strict control over her even to the extent of her

 choosing her life partner Raj. She longs for agency throughout the length of the film. Instances of these

 are seen when she has to hide from her father that she enjoys western music and even when she has to

 ask permission to be able to travel across Europe with her friends. The film correctly shows the

 difference in decision making power between the male and female members of the family.


Diasporic films highlight the complexity of Indian women without framing it in a dramatic manner as

Bollywood films do. Bollywood submerges the complex identities of women under the broad umbrella

of ‘Indianness’. In my opinion, Diasporic films truly depict the challenges that a woman in a diaspora

 encounters. Bollywood on the other hand produces films in such a manner that attracts more crowd and

 they don't stay true to the reality of lives of women and the problems they face. Diasporic films in my

 opinion deserve more viewership and publicity.

 

In conclusion, women in diaspora films are complex individuals who face the challenges of migration

and cultural identity. Diasporic films provide a platform for female filmmakers to show the world the

challenges women in diaspora face by sharing their own experiences. It provides them with a fair

representation in the film industry.

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