Politics of Fantasy as a Manifestation of Female Agency in Bulbbul

Abstract

This study explores the significance of the poetics of fantasy in feminist politics that preserve a crucial life-sustaining part when it comes to understanding the struggle of women. Throughout history, literature and cinema have often painted the role of women in a highly artistic manner. Films have become very powerful tools for portraying erotic images related to the female gender. However, in the contemporary age, cinematic representations of women delve into the question of how and why women are portrayed as objectified figure on screen. Therefore, the film Bulbbul serves as an exemplary embodiment of feminist notions achieved through the fantastical means, depicting women living within the patriarchal domains. Through qualitative cross-sectional research, the study collects data from textual analysis of the movie Bulbbul which aims to identify the struggles of women and the popularity of the fantasy genre in attaining autonomy and female agency. Through the interweaving of articles related to Fantasy, Feminist Film theories and Auteur theory, the research focuses on the competence and strength that the female gender possesses in rebelling against the patriarchal world. However, the outcome of this research is to examine the core reasons which empower Bulbbul to challenge patriarchal dogmas and how violence act as a justifiable mean for subversion and Agency. Consequently, the amalgamation of the two different approaches i.e. patriarchal dystopia and fantasy, will allow us to investigate how fantasy is employed by feminists to break patriarchal conventions.