The Evolution of Identities through the lens of Cinema

Written by: Pranati R Narain

Edited by: Apeksha

Illustrated by: Shresha

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"Never leave home without your ID card!" 

"Who are you supporting in the India-Pakistan match tomorrow?"

"Ma'am, the ladies' washroom is this way."

These are casual statements we come across almost every day of our lives, without giving as much as a glance to the underlying idea they seek to convey. From professions and religions to gender and ethnicity, we have assimilated identities that have laid the foundation of who we are, and reinforced the innate concept of what makes us us. 

A concept such as that of identities cannot be free from the clutches of cinema and visual entertainment, which is after all, a tool to propagate (or suppress) the popular notion among masses. Taking a look at two fundamental sub-parts of identity, namely gender and social identity, it is possible to analyse the way movies have attempted (and succeeded) to change the way we view such identities. 

The concept of gender identity stems from the role that gender plays in making one a unique individual. Picture this: 

It is a classic 1980s movie where the "hero" sets out to rescue the "heroine", a damsel in distress, from the "villain" who seeks to provoke his rival in every way possible. 

The woman is expected to resist, although to no avail, while the man swoops in to save her from the clutches of the bad man.

A flood of such movies in the global and local film industries prevailed during the 1980s - late 1990s  and it was only natural that the audiences that avidly consumed such entertainment began assimilating the gender identities depicted on-screen. However, like every other subject that has evolved over the years, movies too have begun changing the way they conceptualise gender identities. The identity of the male character is no longer synonymous with the responsibility of saving the damsel in distress and the identity of the female character has done away with the demure 'side heroine' trope. Films like Gravity (2013) and Mission Mangal (2019) are regarded as examples that remodelled gender identity through the power of cinema. 

Moving onto social identity, one of its many sub-categories that films have played on across generations is the concept of class. An economics-driven notion of division of the population, social class has shaped one's social identity for decades. Just as in the case of gender identity, cinema through the 1970s and 1980s was keen on depicting the perennial tirade between the wealthy "upper-class" factory owner and the subservient (and occasionally rebellious) "lower class" common man. Such films placed great emphasis on one's social class and heavily stereotyped the wealthy character as being unscrupulous or the common man as expendable. 

The advent of the twenty-first century saw a different narrative emerging. 

Social class created by economic disparity was no longer the be-all and end-all of one's identity. Regardless of one's social status, one could dream and work well towards that goal. Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and Parasite (2019) are examples of films bringing an increasing sensitivity to the concept of social class, and how it no longer plays a pivotal role in shaping one's identity. 

When it comes to movies and their role in shaping the audience's identity, animated films have been no less impactful in delivering their message. The movie Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) has the following popular quote, as stated by the main character, Po – "Am I the son of a panda? The son of a goose? A student? A teacher? Turns out, I'm all of them." 

This simple quote accentuates the fact that in today's world, identities are acquired and discarded every day much like badges or collectible pins. Be it gender, profession, or class, our identities make us unique individuals, and this individuality must be celebrated. 

As the inspiring song from The Greatest Showman (2017) goes, "I am who I'm meant to be. This is me."