SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, RELIGIOUS SUPERIORITY AND RESISTANCE: A FEMINIST STUDY OF MAHARAJ BY VIPUL MEHTA AND SNEHA DESAI

Abstract

The film Maharaj (2024), directed by Vipul Mehta and written by Sneha Desai, dramatizes a powerful confrontation between institutionalized religious authority and resistance against gendered oppression. This paper critically examines the film through the lens of feminist theory and power-resistance frameworks, focusing on how religious rituals are manipulated to justify the sexual exploitation of women under patriarchal control. Central to this narrative is the character of Karsan Das, whose efforts to expose the fraudulent spiritual leader, Jadunath Maharaj, highlight how truth, legal mechanisms, and media can become tools of resistance. The film explores the emotional and societal consequences of blind religious devotion, particularly through characters like Kishori and Leelavati, whose personal experiences embody the trauma and resilience of women silenced by faith-based institutions. Using textual analysis, this research identifies how the cinematic portrayal of “charan seva” functions as a metaphor for normalized gender-based violence and how feminist resistance emerges through speech, testimony, and social reform. By exploring the convergence of spiritual abuse, gendered power, and legal activism, this study contributes to broader feminist discourses on reclaiming agency and challenging patriarchal systems cloaked in religious legitimacy.