The (Male) Gaze of Shadows: The Inner Lives of Women in Works of Ismat Chughtai and Amrita Sher-Gil

Abstract

This article analyzes how Ismat Chughtai’s short stories and Amrita Sher-Gil’s paintings engage with and complicate the concept of the male gaze within colonial and nationalist contexts. It argues that while their works are often seen as subversive, they do not completely escape patriarchal structures. Using the concept of heterotopia, the study examines domestic spaces as sites where women’s desires and subjectivities are both constrained and expressed. Through visual and literary analysis, the paper concludes that these works confront rather than fully subvert the male gaze, creating a space of tension and critical awareness.