Two Documents on Human Rights by Hansal Mehta: Shahid (2012) and Aligarh (2015)

Abstract

This book examines the intersection between Indian cinema (across geographic regions, languages and formats) and human rights. It analyzes Indian cinema from multiple human rights perspectives, such as freedom of expression and censorship, socio-economic rights, caste rights, women's and children's rights and LGBTQIA+ equality. The book bridges human rights law and cinema studies, and opens up new research areas within sociocultural and socio-legal academic contexts. It also contributes to academic disicplines beyond Law and Cinema, including Media, Cultural, Gender, Socio-economic and Sociology studies and is relevant for Liberal Arts curricula, Law Schools and as a reference book in university libraries in India and internationally, especially in film institutes. Finally, the book offers practical implications for human rights activists and policymakers by exploring how rights can be advanced through cinema and pop culture.