Reimagining Vedic Womanhood: Biographical Narratives in Theatre and Cinema as Instruments of Empowerment
An Interdisciplinary Inquiry through Drama, Film Studies and Mass Communication
Harshad Govind Salpe
PhD Scholar
Amity University, Raipur (Chhattisgarh)
Mobile: 9767268644
Email:harshadsalpe@gmail.com
Keywords:
Vedic Women, Biographical Narratives, Theatre and Performance Studies, Indian Cinema, Women Empowerment, Feminist Discourse, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Mytho-Historical Representation, Mass Communication, Media and Gender, Cultural Memory, Visual Semiotics, Audience Reception, Interdisciplinary Studies, Indian Feminism
Abstract
Biographical portrayals of Vedic women have emerged as powerful cultural texts within Indian theatre and cinema. These narratives revisit ancient female figures—such as Gargi, Maitreyi, Lopamudra, Apala and Ghosha—to reconstruct their intellectual, spiritual and socio-cultural contributions. In a digital era influenced by mass communication and rapidly shifting media patterns, these biopics not only revive forgotten histories but also offer alternate feminist discourses rooted in Indian knowledge systems.
This research paper critically analyses how drama and cinema reinterpret Vedic women’s lives, the communication strategies used to shape public perception, and the extent to which these portrayals empower contemporary audiences. Using an interdisciplinary lens, the study integrates dramaturgy, film analysis, gender theory, and communication studies to understand the cultural impact of such biographical representations.
DOI link – https://doi.org/10.69758/GIMRJ/2511S01V13P020
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