Abstract: The article Igniting Desires: Constructing Female Identity in Deepa Mehta’s Fire, probes
into the characteristics of female identity in Deepa Mehta’s film Fire in her elements trilogy, Fire, Water
and Earth. The article examines how religion and patriarchy colluded to enact symbolic and actual
violence against women and the cruelties exercised on their bodies in the name of different social and
cultural practices. The article concludes that the film creates female identities constructed by the
patriarchal society and tries to deconstruct the subordinated gendered identity that exists in the society.
The article points out that Mehta clearly tries to break the existing notions about women which are
oppressive and subordinating. The film is a powerful challenge to patriarchy which oppresses,
subordinates and exploits women. Deepa Mehta, through her film, tries to explain that the Indian society
is gendered in many ways to construct an Indian woman as acceptable to patriarchy, both symbolically
and physically. The article concludes that the Fire of Deepa Mehta tries to subvert these historical
practices, discourses, traditions, norms, beliefs and customs by presenting women with new identities
and sexualities.