Contours of Being and Belonging: Mapping the Transgression of Identities in Select Movies

The tyranny exercised unconsciously on men’s minds is the only real tyranny, because it cannot be fought against, opined Gustave Le Bon, French social psychologist, emphasising the impact of social conformity on the minds of individuals. By employing a qualitative analysis of the cinematic narratives of the films—Thaniyavarthanam (1987), Taare Zameen Par (2007) and Jojo Rabbit (2019), which deal with three different aspects of social conformity—religious, social and political, this article examines the cinematic representation of the intricate relationship between individual and crowd through the lens of Lefebvre’s spatial studies. Thaniyavarthanam explores themes of religious superstition and stigma surrounding mental illness; Taare Zameen Par highlights the adverse effects of peer pressure and societal expectations; and Jojo Rabbit unravels the evils of blind nationalism. This research paper examines the impact of the spatial triad in the evolution and change of the protagonist’s identities as they navigate their life journeys.