LIHAAF (THE QUILT) A STUDY FROM SHORT STORY TO CINEMATIC APPROPRIATION: OBSCURING THE FEMALE RELATIONSHIP

Abstract

The concept of homosexuality has generated considerable debate over the years, but it has failed to establish itself as a rigid identity. Until recently, the voices of homosexuals remained unheard. More specifically, Ismat Chughtai was the first female author to explore lesbianism. The society hesitated to accept them and disguised their identity by tormenting them with traditions or feelings. Adhering to the theme of representing the subaltern, this paper attempts to read between the lines of Ismat Chughtai's short story Lihaaf (The Quilt) in order to discern a woman's blossoming same-sex relationship. Through the protagonist Begum Jaan, Chughtai focuses on life's essential elements: society and the individual. As the tale unfolds, she uncovers two significant aspects of her life: her husband's interest in men and her own interest in women. Frequently, societal pressure prevents an individual from embracing his or her sexuality. The paper addresses the concept of self through the lens of a wife and lesbian who celebrates her identity despite living in a traditional patriarchal society. Ultimately, it mediates the concept of self-reconstruction and condemns the stereotypical identity imposed by society. The study raises concerns about a society that plays an essential role in the subjugation of women and homosexuals by denying them fundamental rights. The fact that Lihaaf was adapted from a seminal work of feminist literature from the subcontinent lends the novel some merit. This paper also examines how the short story-to-screen adaptation rewrites Lihaf to conceive a different queer female desire possibility. I shall discuss how the film disturbs the voyeuristic, heteronormative position of the masculine viewer. It also interprets the film as an intervention in the homosexual representational norms of mainstream Hindi film