https://doi.org/10.67147/literariness.v1i2.056
Representation of Gender, Sexuality and Changing Relationships: A Study of Film Bulbbul by Anvita Dutt
SUFIYA ANSARI
Research Scholar, Department of English
Faculty of Arts, Banaras Hindu University
Abstract: This paper investigates the representational dynamics in Anvita Dutt’s Bulbbul (2020), positioning the film at the intersection of Feminist New Wave Cinema, psychological horror, and contemporary Indian film studies. The research tests the hypothesis that Bulbbul serves as a site for reconfiguring gender, sexuality, and interpersonal relationships within modern societal contexts. By synthesizing Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity with Gayle S. Rubin’s conceptualization of sexuality, this study deconstructs the restrictive identities imposed upon women—ranging from child-bride to sister-in-law. Often categorized as a ‘complaint box’ or cult feminist text, the film acts as a visceral critique of domestic oppression. Ultimately, this paper argues that Bulbbul dismantles systemic taboos, repositioning the female subject by challenging traditional notions of disability and gendered expectations.
Keywords: Bulbbul, Anvita Dutt Guptan, Social Transformation, Films, and Social Media
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