Feminist Film Theory — DU B.A. (Hons.) Philosophy Previous Year Question Papers

I. In the light of Urvashi Butalia's essay "Women in Indian Cinema", examine how women are portrayed in relation to male characters in Indian films. Are they depicted as independent individuals or as dependent figures? 2. Discuss Shalini Shaji's essay "Gender Equality: An Illusion in Indian Cinema a Study on Women in Indian Film Industry." 3. Analyze the gap between the on-screen portrayal of women and their real-life conditions in Indian society, according to to Shalini Shaji. 5. Discuss Mulvey's idea that "women are bearers of meaning, not makers of meaning." 6. How does E. Ann Kaplan expand or challenge Mulvey's theory of the male gaze? 7. How does Indubala Singh link gender relations with national identity in Indian cinema? 8. What is the oppositional gaze as theorized by Bell Hooks? Explain its historical and cultural significance.