Myth, History, and Resistance: Postcolonial Narratives in Bhojpuri and Awadhi Regional Cinemas

Abstract

This research paper explores the postcolonial narratives embedded in Bhojpuri and Awadhi regional cinemas, focusing on how myth, history, and resistance are employed as cinematic tools to articulate subaltern voices and challenge hegemonic narratives. While mainstream Indian cinema has received extensive scholarly attention, regional cinemas, particularly Bhojpuri and Awadhi, remain understudied despite their rich engagement with local cultures, oral traditions, and socio-political realities. These films serve not only as entertainment but also as repositories of collective memory and cultural assertion in a rapidly globalizing India.

The study addresses the problem of marginalization of regional voices within Indian film discourse and investigates how these vernacular cinemas reinterpret ancient myths and historical episodes to construct narratives of resistance, identity, and belonging. Employing a qualitative literature review methodology, the paper synthesizes academic works from 2000 to 2025 across fields such as postcolonial theory, cultural studies, and regional cinema analysis.

Key findings highlight that Bhojpuri and Awadhi films often utilize mythological symbolism, historical figures, and folklore to resist cultural homogenization and assert regional pride. These narratives foreground issues of caste, class, gender, and linguistic identity, offering a bottom-up perspective of Indian history and postcolonial experience. The study reaffirms the critical role of regional cinema in preserving cultural diversity and challenging dominant paradigms.