Published Paper Details:

Art in India has historically functioned as a dynamic instrument of political resistance, social critique and identity formation. From anti-colonial theatre movements to feminist street performances, indigenous visual traditions and contemporary protest art, artistic practices have enabled communities to contest power structures and articulate dissent. The present paper studies how art functions as resistance in India through postcolonial, subaltern, performance and cultural resistance contexts. Using examples of few case studies; including the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), marginalised group's graphic narratives like Bhimayana, the street theatre activism of Safdar Hashmi, the visual protest culture of Shaheen Bagh, feminist mobilization by Pinjra Tod and indigenous expressions such as Gond art; this study argues that resistance art reshapes public consciousness and democratizes political discourse. While artistic resistance does not always produce immediate policy change, it sustains dissent, constructs counter-publics and reimagines mutual futures.