Criticism of Feministic Malayalam Movies: Discourse Analysis

 

Dr. T. Padmanabhan¹*, Ms. Chinju. S²

¹Assistant Professor, Department of Visual Communication, Faculty of Science & Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India.

²Independent Researcher, Holding M.A. Journalism and Mass of Communication from Bharathiar University, PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.

 

ABSTRACT:

Cinema movement, the replication of society when conformism and pro-slavery ideology hegemonizes and slaking contemporary state. Movement on the screen has different credo which grasps humanism, equalism, rationalism, and feminism in a dynamic sense over the world. When a cinema echoes these, later it is being criticized in centralized and decentralized platforms with opinions, perceptions, and ideologies which would be associated with the concerned society. Howbeit, gender equality, women empowerment, and anarchism had perceived since when the feminist movement has emerged evidently, and also, it’s pertinent even in the present democratic society like India. Whenever, the government, elites, constitution, and society failed in humanity. After, cinema rebound it, uncovers it and also edify it. Further, India has unity in diversity, since Kerala has a unique tradition and culture, and it has always reflected in Malayalam cinemas. Among various language cinemas, Malayalam has popular and critical heed at international level owing to the celluloid world films acutely centered Malayalam literature and also seen many creative features and virtuoso in the mediocre movies even in the earlier decades of the twentieth century. Further, the present study focused on modern world Malayalam cinemas and women.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

In 1960 and 1970’s the influence of second-wave feminism and women studies help the development of feminist theory in film.  After that, new theories had emerged from these movements. The sociological approach was first focused the women characters in particular cinema in the United States which was narratives, stereotypes of a society’s stand on women.

 

The American Dream (1973) and The Treatment of Women in Movies (1974) are the movies notable which portrayed women in film-related to social context (Braudy& Cohen, 2004)

 

Feminism means egalitarianism of gender in the socio-politic and socio-economic form. Directly feminism takes place where and when people talk about equal rights for both women and men, but the society needs to reminisce that women are facing more unfairness than men and treating them as a weaker society for many years. The truth is that the society is dangerous for women and girls when you could remember such crimes against women (rape, harassment, abuse). According to Purandhya (2017) report uncovered that most of the domestic and sexual violence cases abysmally investigated and women feeling never considered further victimized and oppressed. It happens when the mechanism of state failed with its poor laws and dishonest authorities. Women centering cinema based on popular culture brought relief to the adherents when struggled against the patriarchy and the domineering system. Particularly, Malayalam Cinema portrayal is highly appreciated.

 

Malayalam Cinema has many unforgettable and powerful woman characters since its conception and found various shades of women such as their altruistic love, extreme patience, bravery and peerless beauty and so on. The Malayalam film industry has some gifted group of writers; thus the films have often criticized and appreciated fairly. Randor (2011) has observed that the new characteristic of the Malayalam cinema is that it stretched beyond the Indian audience. Malayalam cinema had got appreciated and much-admired by the American film students both girls and boys when the workshop on ‘Certain aspects of the Indian Cinema’ was taking place on Chennai and screened south Indian cinemas a few years ago.

 

Related Reviews:

According to Randor (2011) Kerala was primarily matriarchal. However, the Malayalam society and state have changed in the past decades. Notable, women empowerment campaigns, development of education for women, the disintegration of ancestral home system, and many other factors. Commonly, women have been treating as subservient to men in India even in the modern era. Malayalam cinema portrayed the same attitude in many movies to a certain level. The concept of women in Malayalam cinema has a pool of outstanding articles. Importantly, Malayalam industry has a galaxy of eminent film criticisers even from the silent era since the women centrism has emerged and projected in Malayalam film. 

 

 

 

AishwaryaVasudevan (2015) has observed that some notable female lead who has taken such roles in courage. Swetha Menon, who she was lead in the movie Kalimannu directed by Blessy. The movie has become the well-known address for Swetha that theme of the movie is a story of the bar dancer, who wants to become a feature film-star. It talks about artificial insemination, how? Swetha’s husband met a fatal accident due to this his brain was dead. After that, she decided to get pregnant for the child of their both through artificial insemination. She fought with the orthodox society and gave life to her and husband’s baby by this medical process successfully. While the movie in the process, Swetha was pregnant in her real life and her delivery was filmed and added as part of this movie. It was the first time that real childbirth footage added in the feature film.

 

 

 

ManjuWarrier, who she was lead in the movie How Old Are You? Directed by Rosshan Andrews. She has come back after 15 years of her career, a famous actress and her role in How Old Are You? As a clerk in Revenue department and submissive character. The movie educates age no matter or barrier for women to achieve her dreams, and various shots speak importance of women. The movie has broken the pigeon-hole.

 

 

 

Ann Augustine played a bold, determined and self-governing character in the movie Artist directed by Shyamprasad. The movie portrayal was amazing that her husband loses his eyesight after that how she struggled and way to accomplish their dreams. The movie reported that filmy version of ‘Dreams in Prussian Blue’ a novel was done by ParitoshUttam. The story talks about the journey of two arts subject students and the living together life of them.

 

 

 

Rima Kallingal, acted as a nurse, who has cheated by her love and faced agonies in her life. The movie shows that dangerous situation of her and after her bravery ambitions how it has taken place was electrifying. Her revenge fortified among women protagonist. It was made as a suspense thriller and raised Rima career in Malayalam cinema industry. Her performance highly appreciated. The movie name 22 Female Kottayam was directed by Ashiq Abu.

 

 

 

Shobana, her role in the movie Thira was a cardiologist and activist, who encourages humanism, the character name Dr.RohiniPranab was directed by Vineeth Srinivasan. The movie discovered the human trafficking. Shobana acted as a bold woman with the help of Youngers and how she saves the children those who are the victim of human trafficking. After a long-time Shobana into a good script and strong performance won appreciation. Further, her role in the movie Agnisakshi had got appreciation among the protagonist. The movie discovers the realistic portrayal of inhuman and the nature of Namboodiri (Brahmin) community. They are considering as the high community in India, but the story talked about untouchables through half Brahmin. How a household woman suffered in the social standard high caste.

 

CONCLUSION:

Feminism is about reaching equal rights for both women and men; Feminism allows equal chances for both sexes. Further feminism talks freedom for speech and expression beyond the orthodox, cultural, and communal propaganda and also beliefs. It insists the equality should not be held back by gender roles and whether it would be at home, at school, in the workplace, or in parliament freedom of speech and expression should be considered equally. Though in the film industry, can find many of the movies which have got attention over the people and appreciated vastly, some character role has still getting importance, in which their acting performance and capability was amusable. The female characters and the movie which based on women-centric encouraged the need of women to fight against harassment, sexual violence, fear, and domestic abuse. Moreover, it educated to take care of family and children, to get relief from poverty and more. Further, the movies questioning the society that still the inequality and violence against women has not been considering in many lands and it’s encouraging. That’s why even the movement of women-centric movies takes place in many language movies that highlight the gender equality through promoting women’s right, interests, and focusing the society which is positioning women submissive and unlawful representation of women. Moreover, the history shows that women in film term the role of women film actress, cinematographer, producers, film critics, and film directors including theorist. The feminist movies intend to awake the women for the right to work for equal incomes, the right for equality in health and education, political rights and particular safety. Besides the movies such as Agnisakshi, Kalimannu, and Thira could be sited Malayalam movie has avant-garde traits.

 

REFERENCE:

1.     AishwaryaVasudevan (2015), E- Times, Strong female characters in Malayalam cinema, https://timesofindia. indiatimes. com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/photo-features/strong-female-characters-in-malayalam-cinema/photostory/48885050. cms

2.     Braudy and Cohen (2004), Film Theory and Criticism, Sixth Edition, Oxford University Press

3.     Purandhya (2017), Female Vigilantism in Indian Cinema: A Review of Film, https://feminisminindia.com/2017/09/21/female-vigilantism-indian-cinema/

4.     Randor Guy (2010), Portrayal of women in Malayalam Cinema, The Hindu, http://www.thehindu.com/books/Portrayal-of-women-in-Malayalam-cinema/article15784742.ece

5.     Rosalind Delmar, What is feminism?, http://www. sfu. ca/~decaste/OISE/page2/files/DelmarFeminism.pdf https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminism

 

 

 

Received on 24.10.2017       Modified on 09.12.2017

Accepted on 18.01.2018      ©A&V Publications All right reserved