#MeToo and Times Up: Slippage of Facework in Malayalam Cinema and Industry

Title

#MeToo and Times Up: Slippage of Facework in Malayalam Cinema and Industry

Creator

Aiyappan A.

Description

#MeToo and Times Up movements, the collective voice of trauma, solidarity and resistance appropriated world over, impacted India a decade since its inception. In the globalised Indian space, the movements evolved/were transplanted in different realms, lashing against democracys tacit silence. Finding resonance in the Indian cinema industry, many women articulated their trauma and protest in a fraternity, broadminded in spirit, patriarchal at heart. An evolutionary reading of #MeToo and Times Up movements as independent/extension of its predecessor with distinctive focus on Malayalam cinema and industry foregrounds riveting issues. Malayalam cinema industry, a case in point is popular for its projected broadminded outlook through films. Discursive readings unravel the inconsistencies and pluralistic divergent voices in this progressive industry, challenging its liberal positioning. With the tag of an industry receptive to ambient changes, how does its films become reflective or mutually inclusive? How does the industrys facework feed into the apparently challenging onscreen representations vis-a-vis the offscreen power hierarchies? Who delineates the boundary-work within the industry and cinema? A complementary reading of the onscreen versus offscreen negotiations problematises the gendered relationships, sexual economies, collective consciousness structured along multiple tangents. Understanding the ongoing confrontation between artistes associations like Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) and Womens Collective in Cinema, negotiation of inclusivity and extension of solidarity, together with the appropriations and assimilations have opened an alternative space to examine the grey areas dotting the silver screen. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Aysha Viswamohan; individual chapters, the contributors. All rights reserved.

Source

Women in Contemporary Indian Films and Media: Representations and Responses, pp. 9-22.

Date

2024-01-01

Publisher

Taylor and Francis

Coverage

Aiyappan A., Department of English and Cultural Studies, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, India

Rights

Restricted Access

Relation

ISBN: 978-104029589-2; 978-103225683-2

Format

Online

Language

English

Type

Book chapter

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003583851-3

https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85214155558&doi=10.4324%2f9781003583851-3&partnerID=40&md5=075f7c9ff9de5bb4fc01beb92bceb191