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Abstract

Gurinder Chadha is one of the most prominent filmmakers in British film and has been creating films for over two decades. Being raised as an Indian woman in a post-colonial British society, she had been subject to many forms of racism as well as being under pressure to conform to the ‘feminine’ traits and norms set upon her by society and her Indian culture. These are some issues that have been incorporated into her films throughout her discography. This thesis therefore analyses the ways in which her films seek to challenge racism and sexism.
Many of the films of Chadha were dissected and the analysis shows that there have been similar recurring themes within them, such as racism and sexism. She presents racism in a manner that is destructive and something that makes it difficult for migrants to integrate into British society. Female empowerment is present in her work as she aims to liberate her female characters of the gender roles placed upon them by both Western and Indian society. In addition, she also presents issues with old Indian traditions that have lingered since British Imperial rule over India as well as multiculturalism, as she often shows how different ethnicities in Britain interact with one another, along with Indian culture.
This thesis concludes that Chadha’s films are very articulate in how they present these issues, but they present them in a light-hearted manner as they have a friendly, welcoming tone to them, making them more enjoyable for audiences.

Course: Film Industries - BA - C2651S

Date Deposited: 2022-08-10

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13974.html