Munnudi, Hasina and Gulabi Talkies : A Preface to Gender Justice

Abstract

Representation of Muslims in Indian cinema has been marginal. Kannada cinema, despite an impressive new wave, has produced abysmally low number of films on the minority community. Even as the state’s history is a witness to a number of Muslim regimes and Islamic architecture constitutes a part of its heritage, there are hardly films on the community that are noteworthy until 2000. In this background, three Kannada language films – Munnudi (2004), Hasina (2006) and Gulabi Talkies (2010), dealing with the life of Muslim communities in Karnataka, become significant. This paper discusses the depiction of Muslim women – their status in the community, the problems and challenges they faced and their resistance to women’s oppression. The paper specifically examines the issues related to marriage, family, divorce and polygamy.