Subaltern Cinema: Breaking the Barriers and Hitting the Box-Office

Abstract

Subaltern cinema in India represents the voices, stories, and experiences of the marginalized communities that have been neglected, under-represented or mis-represented in the mainstream cinema. These communities have often been excluded from the mainstream narratives. This paper explores the core concerns that drive subaltern cinema and the challenges it faces which include the systemic, cultural, social and economic challenges.  This paper probes into the exclusion of certain communities in the mainstream cinema by focusing on some of the phenomenal films made on subaltern sections. By situating these films within the broader socio-political and cultural context of India, the article highlights the significance of alternative cinematic expressions in fostering inclusivity, contesting dominant ideologies, and democratizing the medium of film. This paper interrogates how subaltern cinema contests dominant aesthetic and ideological conventions by centering women, Dalit, Adivasi, LGBTQ, and working- class perspectives. Drawing from postcolonial and Ambedkarite frameworks , and engaging with the tenets of ‘Third Cinema,’ this study identifies the core political and aesthetic strategies that define subaltern cinema. Through an analysis of certain select movies on women, Dalits, and Transgenders, it explores issues of representation, cultural assertion, narrative sovereignty, and institutional exclusion. This paper further examines the ecosystem that supports these films, including audience activism, alternate film festivals, and digital platforms, while identifying the challenges they face in production, censorship, and distribution. This study concludes that subaltern cinema is not merely a genre or style but a cultural-political intervention that redefines Indian cinematic modernity.