Aesthetics of Disability: The Growing Interest in Disability in Popular Hindi Cinema

Abstract

Disability studies have emerged as an important field of critical studies. It has branched itself out beyond its limited medical and psychological sphere and has placed itself in the social, cultural sphere as well. As a marginalised ‘body’, disability has also inter mingled itself with theories of gender or post colonization. Especially in its representation in media and literature; Disability has posed a challenge against its traditional, stereotyped presentation and demands for a centralized representation of the disabled body. This article shall study the idea of representation of disability in the context of Indian cinema and the change of attitude towards Disability in modern Indian cinema. In this article, only hindi films have been used, keeping in mind the receptivity of the language and its reach. Koshish, Sparsh, “Black” and Barfi are the key cinemas that are dealt with, in the essay.

Keywords

• disability
• disabled body
• marginalization
• representation