State Oppression of Subaltern Voices in Anek: A Foucauldian Analysis of Biopolitics and the Marginalisation of the Northeast

Abstract This paper examines Anek (2022), directed by Anubhav Sinha, as a cinematic exploration of biopolitical governance and subaltern resistance in India’s Northeastern region. Employing Michel Foucault’s theories of biopolitics and surveillance, alongside Giorgio Agamben’s concept of bare life. This analysis interrogates how state mechanisms such as the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) institutionalize the marginalization and cultural erasure of Northeastern communities. The paper draws upon Spivak’s subaltern studies and postcolonial critiques presented by Partha Chatterjee and Homi Bhabha for contextualizing the film’s critique of state power, cultural homogenization, and identity politics. In this matrix, the perspectives of subaltern scholars such as Ranajit Guha, David Arnold, and James C. Scott are utilized to illuminate the dynamics of resistance and representation further. This paper seeks to bridge the gap between film representation and lived realities through an integrated methodology of cinematic analysis, theoretical critique, and case study integration, focusing on real-world incidents like the Malom Massacre and Irom Sharmila’s hunger strike. Ultimately, it explores how Anek simultaneously critiques and contributes to the discourse on cinema’s potential as a transformative tool for amplifying marginalized voices, while interrogating its limitations as a Bollywood production. Keywords: ASFPA; Bare Life; Biopolitics; Foucauldian Analysis; Marginalised; State Power