The Myth of the Mad 'Other' in Hindi Cinema

This article explores the representation of madness in Hindi cinema. Through a content analysis of four films spanning three decades, it argues that, through a process of 'Othering', the mentally ill are depicted in stereotyped roles of desperate individuals clearly distinguishable from the 'normal' social being; the cause and cure of whose madness is love; and, as individuals who dare to go against social norms, whose end lies in destruction.