Framing and Unframing the Divide: Analyzing the Representation and Softening of the India-Pakistan Mental Border in Popular Narratives
1947 Partition; Contemporary South Asia; Cross-border empathy; Cultural narratives; Film and poetry; India-Pakistan borders
The paper attempts to address how popular narratives challenge the rigid notions of national borders by foregrounding shared histories and emotional solidarities. In this context, the paper critically analyzes Kabir Khan-directed Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015, film), the rap song Humsaye Maa Jaye (2019, song) by Bushra sisters and Akhil Katyals The Border Speaks (2019, poem). In contrast to the general understanding of geographical borders as lines of division, the paper argues that art becomes the medium to transcend the physical borders by creating a sense of togetherness between the socially and culturally interrelated people of India and Pakistan. The subsequent narratives give voice to the concerns of common people through their characters, dialogues and song lyrics. The paper argues that such cultural productions offer powerful counter-narratives to state-sponsored discourses, thereby reframing the border not as a site of enmity but as a space of human connection. 2025 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
IUP Journal of English Studies;Volume;20;Issue;1;pp.143-155
Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library
https://doi.org/10.71329/IUPJES/2025.20.1.143-155 https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105007476556?origin=resultslist
Bisht P., Department of English and Cultural Studies, Christ (Deemed to be University), Delhi NCR, India