Caste and Resistance: A Comparative Study of Untouchable and Lagaan
This paper explores the representation of caste discrimination and subaltern consciousness in Mulk Raj Anand’s seminal novel Untouchable (1935) and Ashutosh Gowariker’s Bollywood film Lagaan (2001). Through a humanistic lens, the study analyzes how both texts critique the entrenched caste hierarchies of Indian society. Drawing on subaltern theory and postcolonial frameworks, the paper argues that while Untouchable presents a direct and emotionally charged portrayal of Dalit oppression, Lagaan uses metaphor and cinematic spectacle to raise subtle questions about caste, unity, and resistance under colonial rule.
