control did not also involve the production and amplification of sexuality – and is later simply inverted to produce the film's own vision of women's liberation as free sexual 'choice'. (1999:582) Whatever subversive potential Fire might have had (as a film that makes visible the 'naturalised' hegemony of heterosexuality in contemporary culture, for example) is nullified by its largely masculinist assumption that men should not neglect the sexual needs of their wives, lest they turn lesbian (1999:583). The authors additionally argue that viewers must ask tough questions from films such as Fire that place themselves in the realm of "alternative" cinema and aim to occupy not only aesthetic, but also political space (Economic and Political Weekly, 6–13 March 1999). Madhu Kishwar, then-editor of Manushi, wrote a highly critical review of Fire, finding fault with the depiction of the characters in the film as a "mean spirited caricature of middle class family life among urban Indians". She claimed that homosexuality was socially accepted in India as long as it remained a private affair, adding that Mehta "did a disservice to the cause of women... by crudely pushing the Radha-Sita relationship into the lesbian mould", as women would now be unable to form intimate relationships with other women without being branded as lesbians. Deepa Mehta expressed frustration in interviews that the film was consistently described as a lesbian film. She said "lesbianism is just another aspect of the film...Fire is not a film about lesbians", but rather about "the choices we make in life". In 2010, veteran film critic and activist Shoni Ghosh wrote a book named Fire: A Queer Film Classic that studies in detail the movie as well the controversies ignited by the film. The book detail the situations that lead to the chaos and its aftermath. Soundtrack The soundtrack was composed and performed by A. R. Rahman except for tracks "Ramayan" and "Allah Hu". "Julie's Theme" and "China Town" were added as bonus tracks and were not used in the movie. A. R. Rahman reused or reworked some of his acclaimed songs from Bombay. See also The Journey (2004) Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019) List of LGBT films directed by women Homosexuality in India Freedom of expression in India References Works cited External links Roger Ebert's Review Detailed critique of Fire Analyzing feminism in Fire Interview with Deepa Mehta Queering Bollywood History's Flirtation with Fire: Documenting