Dalit representation in Indian cinema

Indian cinema is majorly dependent on its positive reception by the mass audience. The glimpse into the history of Dalits in Hindi cinema will throw up some significant answers. Indian cinema dealing with the Dalits and their marginalization should not come as a surprise. The question however, arrives on whether the films created to cater to the box office value of the film, or whether it aims to reflect a true reflection of marginalization, oppression and trounce.

The first Hindi film based on the delicate theme of untouchability “ Achhut kannya” 1936 Devika rani and Ashok Kumar Portrayed the two leads. The caste prejudice and class barriers prevent marriage between them. Indian film industry is largely in the hands of upper class-upper caste elites. In other words, these artistic spaces, such as the cinema industry, are still “Untouched” by Dalit issues, narratives or stories. Indian Cinema has either been unable to represent Dalit life & concerns on the Big screen or has willingly chosen not to do so. On the one hand, those with a traditional background of continuous Education across generations, the savarnas (Higher Castes) & on the other hand the systematic exclusion Dalits from education, has resulted in a de-facto hegemony of Cinema spaces by the Savarnas.

This paper widely focuses upon the 1. Introduction 2. Review Literature 3. Objectives 4. Methodology 5. Education and awareness themes representing Dalit in Indian cinema 6. Availability of various opportunities for Dalit artist community in Indian cinema 7. The challenges and setbacks faced by Dalit community in the field of media and entertainment 8. Suggestions and recommendations 9. Conclusions.

Cinema is a very important tool when it comes to building, shaping, reinforcing public opinion and perception. In India, cinema and media has been used until now to perpetuate Brahmanical culture, values and it has thus led to the perpetuation of the caste-system. However, all the signs point towards the fact that the times to come will see Dalit-Bahujan cinema reign the Indian film industry. And then we can certainly hope that Indian cinema, which would now reflect the concerns, ideas, and aspirations and lived realities of a much wider spectrum of Indian society, will receive greater appreciation and recognition from those who set the benchmarks of global cinema.

Indian cinema dealing with Dalit subjects and their marginalization. Indian cinema caste as a part of Indian culture is an acceptable fact, and it‟s often cast away by the Bollywood film makers. The first decade after independence is worth mentioning in the history of Bollywood. They responded so positively to the modernist social outlook.