Revisiting “Can the Subaltern Speak?”: Mediated Empowerment and the Limits of the Subaltern Female Voice in Gangubai Kathiawadi

Abstract

This paper revisits the seminal question posed by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, “Can the Subaltern Speak?”, through the lens of the film Gangubai Kathiawadi, contending that although contemporary Hindi films have become more inclined to represent marginal women, their voices too are thoroughly conditioned by the very filmic discourses that frame them. In the process, this paper takes recourse to ideas of subaltern studies, feminist film criticism, and adaptation theory to analyze how the film frames its protagonist’s voice. The qualitative research method entails the textual and visual analysis of selected scenes portraying public speeches, negotiations, and authoritative claims using cinematic elements such as camera angle, editing, music, costumes, and performances. The paper reveals that Gangubai’s power and agency are not solely derived from dialogue but rather created via cinematic representations that influence how she is perceived as an authoritative figure. This paper also examines the similarities and differences between the film and the source material titled Mafia Queen of Mumbai in order to illustrate the impact of adaptation in creating visibility and normalization of subaltern voices. It is asserted that what happens in this case is “mediated empowerment,” where, although the woman seems to speak and lead, the intelligibility of her voice is possible solely within the representational practices defined by dominant cultural and aesthetic codes. The distinction between visibility and autonomy suggests that the film cannot be understood as an uncomplicated example of feminist representation. The main contribution of this study to the discussion of feminist film criticism and subalternity theory concerns the necessity for examining not only whether or not the marginalized voices are visible, but also how they are articulated, mediated, and manipulated. Unlike existing studies that primarily interpret the film through empowerment or oppression frameworks, this article develops the concept of mediated empowerment to explain how cinematic form simultaneously enables and constrains subaltern speech.