Postcolonial ecocritical reading of Satyajit Ray’s Sikkim and Goutam Ghose’s Padma Nadir Majhi

Abstract

This article aims to offer an interpretive analysis of two seminal cinematic works: Satyajit Ray’s Sikkim (1971) and Goutam Ghose’s Padma Nadir Majhi (1993). It posits these films as modes of inquiry, elucidating the ecological issues that have spurred a transformative reconsideration of humanity’s relationship with the nonhuman world. Moreover, this study underscores the intricate comprehension of the interdependence between human and natural realms, portraying it as a foundational facet of postcolonial discourse. Postcolonialism has long recognized the inseparable linkage between the ideological constructs of nature and the exploitation of marginalized populations and their respective environments. The psychological ramifications of colonial rule have wrought an indelible impact upon the ecological landscape and the hallowed rapport shared between indigenous communities and their natural surroundings. The indigenous populace’s allure towards Western cultural paradigms, preconceptions, and institutions has often induced a forfeiture of their own cultural heritage in favor of the ex-colonizers’ ideologies. Both of these venerable cinematographers, through their cinematic oeuvre, have meticulously documented the enduring significance of nature within the tapestry of Indian culture, especially in the context of contemporary, globalized milieu.