https://doi.org/10.67147/literariness.v1i3.036
Negotiating Faith and Agency: Rethinking Muslim Femininity in Feminichi Fathima
VP RAZLIN
Research Scholar
PG & Research Department of English
Government Victoria College, Palakkad
Affiliated to University of Calicut
Assistant Professor
Department of English, MES Mampad College (Autonomous), Kerala
DR. SOUMYA MATHEW KUTTY
Assistant Professor
PG & Research Department of English
Government Victoria College, Palakkad, Kerala
Abstract: This paper examines the representation of Muslim femininity in Feminichi Fathima using the themes of faith and agency. It studies how the film depicts a Muslim woman’s life as influenced by religion, family expectations, domestic space, and social pressure. Instead of considering the protagonist as simply oppressed or empowered, the paper argues that her identity is formed through constant negotiation between personal choice and religious values. Drawing on Saba Mahmood’s concept of agency and piety, and applying feminist film theory, this paper reads the film as a complex portrayal of womanhood that challenges stereotypical images of Muslim women. The paper shows that Muslim femininity in the film is not fixed or one-dimensional, but dynamic, lived, and contextually shaped. In doing so, it re-examines the meaning of agency within faith-based life and presents a nuanced understanding of Muslim womanhood in contemporary cinema.
Keywords: Muslim Femininity, Malayalam Cinema, Saba Mahmood, Feminist Film Theory, Islamic Feminism, Representation
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