Papers by Fatima Siddiqui
Conference Presentations by Fatima Siddiqui
Films are the most populist form through which the ideals of realism and progressivism can be bro... more Films are the most populist form through which the ideals of realism and progressivism can be brought to the masses. Rajinder Singh Bedi was an Indian writer aligned with the Progressive Writers' Movement, who also worked in the Indian Film Industry as a director, screenwriter and dialogue writer. His stories represent human personality and psyche in their true form so that the individual and his society are exposed. Complex relationships are explored in a meaningful and eloquent manner in his stories which are purported to be some of the finest pieces of Urdu fiction. He worked as a screenwriter and dialogue writer for some of the most popular films of his time such as Abhimaan, Anupama, Madhumati, Devdas, and Anuradha. In 1954, he collaborated with Balraj Sahani to form a company called Cine Cooperative whose first film, Garam Coat was based on Bedi's eponymous short story which highlighted the plight of the lower class struggling with an economic crisis. His first directorial venture, Dastak was based on his radio play Naql-e-Makaani (Moving to a New House) and explored a topic which was most unusual for its time: a newlywed couple moves unwillingly into a house located in a red-light area. Another notable film directed by him was Aankhon Dekhi which told the story of a Gandhi-like leader who propagated the ideals of non-violence. Bedi mixes humour with introspection and reflection to create characters that can be found on the streets of India even today. This paper aims to understand and highlight the picture of life and man as it emerges in the films of Rajinder Singh Bedi. He has been able to capture the complex correlation between the Indian man and his socio-cultural, religious and political beliefs. This paper will attempt to analyse the representation of realism in Bedi's works and the range of emotions and sensibility that his works display.
The term folklore refers to a group of shared customs, beliefs, and stories within a culture pass... more The term folklore refers to a group of shared customs, beliefs, and stories within a culture passed through the word of mouth over the course of several generations. The tale of the Battle of Karbala is one of the oldest surviving oral folklore. Rituals commemorating the month of Muharram include a variety of traditions, songs, images, narratives, and emotions. These rituals not only serve as a reminder of the martyrdom of Hussain, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Mohammad at the battle of Karbala but have given birth to several identities and social relationships within the Shia community. Remembrance of the sacrifice at Karbala is observed worldwide, with Iraq, India, and the Middle East being the hubs of these traditions. Oral and theatrical representations of the life and sacrifices of the sacred Imams and other figures of the Shia community form a significant part of this tradition. The historiography of the battle has been recorded and passed down from one generation to another, in prose and verse, comprising within itself a curious blend of facts and legends. These rituals diversified as the narrative travelled from one place to another, incorporating local elements and local literary forms. This paper aims to study the relationship between folktales and local cultures and to understand the reason behind the longevity of some folklores over others. The paper will focus majorly on the practices observed during the month of Muharram in the Northern parts of India. It will analyze how folk narratives can be a powerful tool to not only show a mirror to society but can also be used to bring about social, religious, and political change.
Translation has been a way for cultural exchange since before any theory of translation was devel... more Translation has been a way for cultural exchange since before any theory of translation was developed. Texts are embedded in a particular culture so translation is essentially an attempt to transfer one culture into another. The difference between cultures and the difficulties arising from the same are especially prominent when the source text and target text belong to different families of language. Rashid Jahan, the popular Indian socialist, Urdu writer, and activist, produced a range of bold, anti-colonial and feminist writings which provide a worldview of the Indian society much different from the one established by the Western thinkers who only ever saw the Eastern world through the exotic lens. Rashid, tackled complex and taboo issues such as female sexuality, Islamic orthodoxy, patriarchy, and colonialism in her writings which today, provide inspiration to readers all over the world as they struggle against patriarchy, capitalism, misinterpretation of Islam, and class conflict. Despite the visible backlash she received from the society in her time, she restrained herself and steered clear from sensationalisation, and presented simple accounts of the Indian society and its ideologies related to gender and religion. This paper aims to explore whether it is beneficial to translate a text from one language into another, since each text is laced with local idioms, traditions, and connotations which might not be accessible to the target readers, and the lack of which might lead to a translated version which is unable to fully convey the inner form of the source text. The paper is aimed at understanding how translating a text from one culture into another helps in bringing about a reform in the society as well as clearing up the prevalent misunderstandings about gender and religious stereotypes in the popular media about the source culture, as has been witnessed in case of Rashid Jahan's writings.
The poets of Awadh played an active role in giving shape to the vision of an independent nation a... more The poets of Awadh played an active role in giving shape to the vision of an independent nation and kept the struggle alive by dedicating their immortal words to the cause. Asrar-ul-Haq Majaz, one of the most celebrated Urdu poets of the twentieth century, was an active agent of the Progressive Writers' Movement who used his poetry as a weapon to fight during the freedom struggle. Being one of the few poets who changed the overtones of old illusions and gave them a completely new meaning which suited the temper of the times in which he lived and breathed, he took the poetic world by storm during the potent atmosphere preceding the Indian Independence at Aligarh in the 1930s. A true Romantic at heart, he eventually came to be known as the Keats of Urdu poetry. Majaz can be called the representative poet of his time for his poetry mirrors the social, cultural and political concerns of the time. His poetry was both romantic and revolutionary at the same time and, focused on universal themes which are applicable in today's world as well. This paper will throw light on the rich poetical legacy of Awadh by studying selected works of Majaz.
Storytelling is the oldest form of literary communication in the world. Folklores-be it folktales... more Storytelling is the oldest form of literary communication in the world. Folklores-be it folktales, myths, religious stories, epics, ballads, fables or legends, together account for the majority of the stories told in public and private spaces. Oral traditions are common to all societies but the Eastern world has had a special relationship with the oral storytelling art. Epics such as Dastan-e-Amir Hamza, Shahnama, Qissa Chaar Darvesh, etc. were extremely popular in Persia and India. Professional storytellers or Dastangohs narrated these stories at the royal courts and local bazaars as a way to pass time, earn livelihood and also possibly court patronage. The widely popular Dastan-e-Amir Hamza, incorporated in itself many Indian folk and cultural elements as it travelled from Persia to India. The version of this epic in circulation today is full of allusions to local Hindu and Islamic customs and traditions. This paper will explore how various religious and cultural practices of both India and Iran have found a place together in the Dastan-e-Amir Hamza, making the text an embodiment of the secular and peaceful spirit of that era. The aim of this paper is to showcase and analyse how a text is a reflection of the existing socio-cultural milieu of its era and, a testimony of the bigger role that vernacular folk culture plays in the creation of literature.
Indian Diaspora being the largest Asian Diaspora, constitutes a diverse and extensive global comm... more Indian Diaspora being the largest Asian Diaspora, constitutes a diverse and extensive global community. The first-generation of migrants left their homeland with dreams of wealth and success, however, they soon found themselves unable to adjust in the new country due to the social, cultural and racial differences existing within the host-culture. Nostalgia and Dislocation are the two basic Diasporic concerns but another issue that occupies a relevant position is status of Diasporic women. Gurinder Chadha, a British film director of Indian origin, explores this and many other issues in her films which are based on the lives of Indians living in the United Kingdom.
Chadha’s films highlight the psyche of the younger, British-born generations of Indians, especially females, and raises serious questions about the role of women in society. She discusses, in her films, socially and politically relevant and creates strong women characters who try to push boundaries and challenge the limits created by the orthodox Indian Diasporic communities. Her films draw on the lives of Indian women in Britain to focus on how they exercise their power to shape their life and destiny. The aim of this paper is to highlight the Diasporic concerns of women and their search for Identity through a close analysis of the films of Gurinder Chadha. It seeks to understand if the immigrated status has brought any change of fate in the lives of Indian women or if they face the same destiny as they would have faced in their homeland.
Publications by Fatima Siddiqui
Dil se jo baat nikalti hai asar rakhti hai (A cry from the heart is capable,) Parr nahin, taaqat-... more Dil se jo baat nikalti hai asar rakhti hai (A cry from the heart is capable,) Parr nahin, taaqat-e-parwaaz magar rakhti hai (Without wings, it has the power to fly.)-Tasveer-e-Dard (The Portrait of Anguish) by Allama Iqbal Ismat Chughtai is largely perceived as a feminist writer since much of her writing stemmed from her own experiences and observations as a middle-class woman. However, by labelling her as only a feminist, we fail to realize that her stories were woven in a much larger social context. Though she did not have a stable relationship with the Progressive Writer's Association, her works reflect the progressive sensibility and are based on the three major concerns of Progressive Literature-women, class struggle and partition. Chughtai's manner of dealing with social issues is reminiscent of Anton Chekhov, Guy de Maupassant and George Bernard Shaw, who she admitted were some of her major influences. Ismat's works depicted the stark social realities and mocked the hollow social customs that lacked any substantial meaning. Her bold narratives contested the orthodox notions of morality and questioned the established conventions of the society. The aim of this paper is to highlight how Ismat Chughtai portrayed the trials of the common men and women in her narratives who appeared ordinary but whose lives were filled with extraordinary joys and sorrows. She exposed and explored the roots of social limitations, religious superstitions and communal constraints; and showcased the wounds they left on the lives of the common men and in her works. Her pen wrote from her heart and her words have the ability to touch the reader's heart in manifold ways.
Violence against women is a global concern and every society is suffused with countless occurrenc... more Violence against women is a global concern and every society is suffused with countless occurrences of physical, emotional and mental torture of women. The station of women in the Indian subcontinent is largely shaped by patriarchy and female writers, in any language, have made the fight against these orthodox norms one of the primary themes in their writings. In a society where a woman was kept within the four walls of her house, either by force or by binding her to the invisible fetters of tradition, Sara Shagufta was one such poetess who dared to challenge the conservative norms of the society. She rejected the chauvinistic social order and actively agitated against the rigid constraints imposed upon women. Her poetry which was always seen as a threat to the social/ patriarchal order, provided a voice to those who were shackled by the chains of " respectability ". This paper aims to highlight the crucial role Sara's poetry plays in the long standing struggle of women against patriarchy and is an attempt to carve out a special place for as special and unique a poet as Sara.
Keywords: Urdu Poetry, Majaz, Romanticism
Paper in Edited Book by Fatima Siddiqui
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Papers by Fatima Siddiqui
Conference Presentations by Fatima Siddiqui
Chadha’s films highlight the psyche of the younger, British-born generations of Indians, especially females, and raises serious questions about the role of women in society. She discusses, in her films, socially and politically relevant and creates strong women characters who try to push boundaries and challenge the limits created by the orthodox Indian Diasporic communities. Her films draw on the lives of Indian women in Britain to focus on how they exercise their power to shape their life and destiny. The aim of this paper is to highlight the Diasporic concerns of women and their search for Identity through a close analysis of the films of Gurinder Chadha. It seeks to understand if the immigrated status has brought any change of fate in the lives of Indian women or if they face the same destiny as they would have faced in their homeland.
Publications by Fatima Siddiqui
Paper in Edited Book by Fatima Siddiqui
Chadha’s films highlight the psyche of the younger, British-born generations of Indians, especially females, and raises serious questions about the role of women in society. She discusses, in her films, socially and politically relevant and creates strong women characters who try to push boundaries and challenge the limits created by the orthodox Indian Diasporic communities. Her films draw on the lives of Indian women in Britain to focus on how they exercise their power to shape their life and destiny. The aim of this paper is to highlight the Diasporic concerns of women and their search for Identity through a close analysis of the films of Gurinder Chadha. It seeks to understand if the immigrated status has brought any change of fate in the lives of Indian women or if they face the same destiny as they would have faced in their homeland.