Ageing, Marginalisation, and Resistance in Cinema: A Sociological Analysis of The Intern (2015), Bhonsle (2018), and Mast Me Rehne Ka (2023)

This paper presents a sociological analysis of cinematic representations of senior citizens through a comparative study of The Intern (2015), Bhonsle (2018), and Mast Me Rehne Ka (2023). Using sociological concepts such as ageism, marginalization, social exclusion, dominance, and resistance, the study examines how ageing is portrayed across different cultural and socio-economic contexts in both Hollywood and Indian cinema. The selected films highlight the everyday realities of elderly individuals navigating loneliness, workplace discrimination, loss of social power, and invisibility within a rapidly modernizing society. Through character-driven narratives, each film challenges prevailing stereotypes that depict senior citizens as passive or dependent, instead presenting them as resilient individuals capable of agency, emotional depth, and resistance against societal norms. The paper also explores intersections of age with gender, class, and migration, revealing how these layered identities intensify exclusion in later life. By analyzing these films through a sociological lens, the study underscores cinema’s role as a cultural medium that reflects social hierarchies while simultaneously questioning and reshaping attitudes toward ageing. Ultimately, the paper argues for the importance of inclusive representation and the need for greater societal empathy toward elderly populations, both within cinematic narratives and in real-world social structures.