Documentary films have forever been influential in representing diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds, including marginalised communities in India.​​ The research critically explores how the filmmaker's artistic possibilities and narrative methods shape the representation of marginalised communities within these films. It examines the romanticisation and idealisation involved when outsiders, unfamiliar with the community's struggles, make films about them and assess the acceptable level of romanticisation in sensitive portrayals. This study seeks to identify patterns leading to marginalized communities' romanticization and idealization by employing content and narrative analysis methodologies.
The study draws on existing literature on documentaries, representation, and marginalized communities to inform its theoretical framework and methodology. The research mainly analyses two documentaries, ‘Born Into Brothel' directed by British photographers, Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman and 'India Untouched' directed by Stalin K from India. Through the analysis of Indian and international documentaries, this study identifies recurring themes and visual cues that reflect cultural biases, including the influence of an Upper-Caste Gaze.
These biases often romanticize and oversimplify struggles, highlighting the need for critical awareness in addressing representation's socio-political implications, such as tokenization and appropriation. Ultimately, this research urges responsible storytelling that aligns with marginalized communities' lived realities while focusing on analyzing the representations within the films themselves.

Authors:
Prinayana Sarma, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India

About the Presenter(s)
Current Position - Master's in Liberal Arts
General Interest - Film, Media and Cultural Studies; Filmmaking
Current Project - Documentary Films and portrayal of Marginalised Communities in India

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