Examining Freud’s Oedipal Complex in the Indian Scenario through the Film, Gandhi, My Father

This research paper is a theoretical one which uses the qualitative method of hermeneutics to interpret a text and analyze a film to investigate and interpret overlapping patterns between the text and the film. This paper therefore draws on several concepts and techniques to bring together rich analyses. The aim of a study is to achieve a deeper understanding of a person’s subjective perception, for example, quality of life, a person’s individual perceptions, experiences, impressions and actions, then qualitative research methods may be more relevant. In this research a qualitative approach suits best as it is aimed at bringing upon the researcher’s perspectives and highlighting what the Indian Oedipal means to the researcher after analyzing the theories and interpreting the film. The analyses and interpretation are based on the subjective understanding of the researcher. This research is open ended, aim is to request all Young Indian Psychologists to think and contemplate on the complexity of this relationship, with the opposing currents. And what are the possibilities of other outcomes from these patterns. What is required to help the sons and the fathers? This requires further analysis, and these dissertation just attempts to evoke discussions around possibilities of emancipation from restraining shackles of dominant conventional models.