Cinema/film reaches a much wider audience than literature, as it moves across the barriers of class, literacy, religion, and language. Not only does it reflect reality, it also constructs reality. The reach and impact of cinema/film makes it imperative to work through the rhetoric and melodrama of the medium to unearth the subtleties and ambiguities which lie within. Films and Feminism: Essays in Indian Cinema explores both mainstream and parallel cinema for an analysis of 'the woman' image, the idea of romance, the imposition and defiance of the patriarchal order, and a woman's journey towards self-definition. With a new introduction, this second edition captures the shifts that have taken place since the original publication. With four new essays supplementing the earlier twenty four, the book examines the shifts in film techniques and film audiences, the blurring of the line between alternative and commercial cinema, and women's image of themselves. Largely focusing on Hindi cinema, there is also a reflection of Bengali and Kannada cinema. The volume enlarges the scope of inquiry into feminist concerns and feminine representation, making a significant contribution to film, gender, and literary studies, as it opens up multiple dimensions of inquiry. Subject: Film Studies, Gender Studies, Women's Studies, Cultural Studies, India Studies, Asian Studies]