Reclaiming dignity: a recognition-based reading of Gangubai Kathiawadi
This study analyzes Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Gangubai Kathiawadi through the lens of Axel Honneth's recognition theory, focusing on the efforts to achieve dignity through a prestigious profession. While sex workers in India are often victims of shame and exclusion, the film serves as...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en |
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Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
2025
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/26596/1/Gema%20Online_25_4_4.pdf http://journalarticle.ukm.my/26596/ https://ejournal.ukm.my/gema/issue/view/1866 |
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| _version_ | 1859053168742105088 |
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| author | Irwan Sumarsono, Suprihatien Suprihatien, Imam Baehaqie, Endang Poerbowati, Guruh Nuary, |
| author_facet | Irwan Sumarsono, Suprihatien Suprihatien, Imam Baehaqie, Endang Poerbowati, Guruh Nuary, |
| author_sort | Irwan Sumarsono, |
| building | Tun Sri Lanang Library |
| collection | Institutional Repository |
| content_provider | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia |
| content_source | UKM Journal Article Repository |
| continent | Asia |
| country | Malaysia |
| description | This study analyzes Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Gangubai Kathiawadi through the lens of Axel
Honneth's recognition theory, focusing on the efforts to achieve dignity through a prestigious
profession. While sex workers in India are often victims of shame and exclusion, the film serves
as a narrative counter depicting how Gangubai managed to turn stigma into empowerment. This
study employs qualitative content analysis methods to examine scenes and dialogues, exploring
how Gangubai navigates three domains: love, human rights, and solidarity. The findings of the
study show that this degree is achieved by assuming the role of a mother figure in her community,
by demanding legal and political recognition for sex workers, and by earning social esteem as a
respected leader. By making dignity a central theme, the study moves beyond conventional
discussions of marginalization and stigma by offering a new look at how Bollywood films
reimagine sex workers as agents of empowerment and justice. This analysis places Gangubai
Kathiawadi as a significant cultural text that redefines womanhood and advocates for the
recognition of marginalized identities. |
| format | Article |
| id | my-ukm.journal.26596 |
| institution | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia |
| language | en |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher | Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | my-ukm.journal.265962026-03-02T04:13:51Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/26596/ Reclaiming dignity: a recognition-based reading of Gangubai Kathiawadi Irwan Sumarsono, Suprihatien Suprihatien, Imam Baehaqie, Endang Poerbowati, Guruh Nuary, This study analyzes Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Gangubai Kathiawadi through the lens of Axel Honneth's recognition theory, focusing on the efforts to achieve dignity through a prestigious profession. While sex workers in India are often victims of shame and exclusion, the film serves as a narrative counter depicting how Gangubai managed to turn stigma into empowerment. This study employs qualitative content analysis methods to examine scenes and dialogues, exploring how Gangubai navigates three domains: love, human rights, and solidarity. The findings of the study show that this degree is achieved by assuming the role of a mother figure in her community, by demanding legal and political recognition for sex workers, and by earning social esteem as a respected leader. By making dignity a central theme, the study moves beyond conventional discussions of marginalization and stigma by offering a new look at how Bollywood films reimagine sex workers as agents of empowerment and justice. This analysis places Gangubai Kathiawadi as a significant cultural text that redefines womanhood and advocates for the recognition of marginalized identities. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2025 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/26596/1/Gema%20Online_25_4_4.pdf Irwan Sumarsono, and Suprihatien Suprihatien, and Imam Baehaqie, and Endang Poerbowati, and Guruh Nuary, (2025) Reclaiming dignity: a recognition-based reading of Gangubai Kathiawadi. GEMA: Online Journal of Language Studies, 25 (4). pp. 857-874. ISSN 1675-8021 https://ejournal.ukm.my/gema/issue/view/1866 |
| spellingShingle | Irwan Sumarsono, Suprihatien Suprihatien, Imam Baehaqie, Endang Poerbowati, Guruh Nuary, Reclaiming dignity: a recognition-based reading of Gangubai Kathiawadi |
| title | Reclaiming dignity: a recognition-based reading of Gangubai Kathiawadi |
| title_full | Reclaiming dignity: a recognition-based reading of Gangubai Kathiawadi |
| title_fullStr | Reclaiming dignity: a recognition-based reading of Gangubai Kathiawadi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reclaiming dignity: a recognition-based reading of Gangubai Kathiawadi |
| title_short | Reclaiming dignity: a recognition-based reading of Gangubai Kathiawadi |
| title_sort | reclaiming dignity: a recognition-based reading of gangubai kathiawadi |
| url | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/26596/1/Gema%20Online_25_4_4.pdf http://journalarticle.ukm.my/26596/ https://ejournal.ukm.my/gema/issue/view/1866 |
| url_provider | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/ |