FROM EXCLUSION TO INCLUSION: DECODING DISABILITY IN MALINI CHIB’S ONE LITTLE FINGER AND SHONALI BOSE’S FILM MARGARITA WITH A STRAW

Abstract

Disability in mainstream Indian society is often framed as inherent weakness, perpetuating segregation and exclusion. This paper examines how Malini Chib’s memoir One Little Finger and Shonali Bose’s film Margarita with a Straw—loosely inspired by Chib’s life—subvert these tropes to offer richer disability narratives. By analyzing Chib’s firsthand account of living with cerebral palsy alongside the film’s portrayal of a young woman’s quest for autonomy, the study uncovers layers of social marginalization, isolation, and emotional turbulence that differ sharply from clichéd depictions of disability as comic relief or objects of pity. Both texts challenge patriarchal and ableist constructs by centering disabled women’s agency, desire, and resilience. Ultimately, this research highlights the need to reconceptualize inclusivity in Indian cultural production, advocating for a shift from tokenistic representation to genuine engagement with disabled individuals’ lived experiences—and celebrating Chib’s own defiance of hierarchical norms to live life on her own terms.