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Abstract

Hindi cinema has witnessed a transformation in the portrayal of rape narratives subsequent to India’s Nirbhaya rape case in 2012 and the global #MeToo movement in 2017. The rape narratives released after the #MeToo movement are characterised by a departure from the stereotypical depiction of rape victims as forlorn and vulnerable figures; instead, they are depicted as assertive and empowered survivors that challenge entrenched power dynamics. Hindi films such as Mom (2017) and Guilty (2020) exemplify this paradigm shift by featuring women characters who defy gender stereotypes and resist patriarchal constraints, experience rape trauma syndrome and post-traumatic growth, and embody independence and agency. Notwithstanding their progressive narrative trajectories, these films fall short in providing an authentic portrayal of legal procedures and judicial outcomes pertaining to rape cases. These films misrepresent and romanticise the process of retaliation and recuperation, obscuring the protracted legal procedures and healing process. Juxtaposing the journalistic reports with the filmic narratives on rape and justice, the present study sheds light on the romanticised revenge and pseudo-legal procedures depicted in these films.

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