BEYOND THE SCRIPT: NARRATING THE SELF, PERFORMING IDENTITY AND RESISTING CONFORMITY IN IMTIAZ ALI’S “TAMASHA” (2015)

Abstract

Imtiaz Ali’s Tamasha (2015) offers a complex cinematic exploration of individual identity, social conformity and the performative nature of everyday existence. Although frequently interpreted as a romantic narrative of self-discovery, the film extends beyond the conventional boundaries of romantic drama to investigate how individuals inherit, perform and reconstruct their identities through social expectations, cultural narratives and imaginative expression. This article examines Tamasha as a multilayered cinematic text through an interdisciplinary framework combining narrative theory, performance studies, existential philosophy, film aesthetics and musicology. It proposes three interconnected narrative regimes through which identity is constructed in the film: inherited narratives, socially performed narratives and self-authored narratives. Drawing upon the theoretical contributions of Erving Goffman, Paul Ricoeur, Richard Schechner, David Bordwell, Michel Chion and Claudia Gorbman, the study undertakes a qualitative close textual analysis of the screenplay, narrative structure, characterisation, cinematography, mise-en-scène, editing, costume, sound design and musical composition. Particular attention is given to the collaboration between Imtiaz Ali, A. R. Rahman and lyricist Irshad Kamil, examining how musical sequences extend the film’s narrative beyond conventional dialogue. Published interviews with the director, actors, cinematographer and lyricist are incorporated to contextualise the creative decisions underlying the film. The article also investigates Tara’s emotional agency, the representation of professional modernity and the limitations of the film’s treatment of psychological distress. It argues that Tamasha transforms theatrical performance from a metaphor for social conformity into a possibility of artistic agency, suggesting that identity is not merely discovered but continuously interpreted and reconstructed through storytelling.