Dimensions of Narrative through Dress

Portrayal of the Marginalized In Satyajit Ray’s Sadgati

  • Priyanka Tripathi Indian Institute of Technology, Patna
  • Vinayak Yashraj National Institute of Fashion Technology, Patna
Keywords: Dress and costume, narrative, identity, film adaptation, Dalit

Abstract

A general understanding of dress categories it as a social, cultural construct, however it adds a unique perspective to its symbolic and semiotic dimension if interpreted in the sphere of film studies. Sadgati (1981) filmed by Satyajit Ray for Doordarshan was originally written in Hindi by Premchand in 1931. Reflective of postcolonial society, and bringing in the neo realist film-making influences, Ray has epitomized the Dalit cause in a hard hitting approach. Analyzing the film through the lens of "dressing up" infers that narrative is lucidly intertwined to clothes and formulates the cinematic construct. The article therefore attempts to look into how Ray takes his narrative and cinematic vision forward with an articulate and communicative use of "dressing up".

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Author Biographies

Priyanka Tripathi, Indian Institute of Technology, Patna

Dr Priyanka Tripathi is an Associate Professor of English, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Patna. She has published with Indian Literature (Sahitya Akademi), Literature & History (Sage), English: Journal of the English Association (Oxford Academic), Journal of Graphic Novel and Comics, Contemporary Asia, Postcolonial Studies, Economic and Political Weekly amongst others. She is also the Book Reviews Editor of Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities. She works in the area of Indian Writing in English, Place and Literature, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

Vinayak Yashraj, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Patna

Vinayak Yashraj is an Associate Professor in the Department of Fashion & Lifestyle Accessories at the National Institute of Fashion Technology Patna and teaches Fashion Society & Culture, Fashion & Film image, Design Methodology, History & Philosophy of Design & Fashion etc. His research area includes Ethnographic Study of Film Costumes, Fashion and Feminism.

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Published
2020-11-10
How to Cite
Tripathi, P., and V. Yashraj. “Dimensions of Narrative through Dress”. Contemporary Literary Review India, Vol. 7, no. 4, Nov. 2020, pp. 190-17, https://mail.literaryjournal.in/index.php/clri/article/view/476.
Issue
Vol 7 No 4: CLRI November 2020
Section
Research Papers

Copyright (c) 2020 Priyanka Tripathi, Vinayak Yashraj

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