EXAMINING FEMALE AUTONOMY AND RESISTANCE THROUGH A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE MOVIES PINK AND THAPPAD

Abstract

Autonomy is the idea that individuals are entitled to exercise self-determining authority over their own lives. The way that systematic gender oppression limits women’s capacity to be self-determining and self-governing is strongly related to feminist conceptions of autonomy. This comparative study examines female autonomy and resistance as portrayed in the Bollywood films Pink (2016) and Thappad (2020) focusing on their respective protagonists’ journey. Both films directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and Anubhav Sinha respectively, portray challenging societal norms that subjugate women and justify gender-based violence. The narrative of Pink unfolds around the concept of personal boundaries and the dignity of refusal, illustrating resistance through legal recourse. Thappad, on the other hand, tells the story of Amrita, a devoted wife who files for divorce after her husband slaps her, challenging the normalisation of minor acts of domestic violence within marriage. Both films depict women resisting societal expectations through legal means, shedding light on the implications of female autonomy in public and private spaces. They also portray resistance as a courageous act of redefining autonomy. The characters reflect a growing consciousness in Indian society, where women assert boundaries and demand respect, whether in the courtroom or the home.