https://doi.org/10.67147/literariness.v1i2.002
Sartorial Representation of the Mukkuvar Community in Malayalam Cinema: Analysing Chemmeen (1965) and Puthiya Theerangal (2012)
Malavika Pradeep
Alumna, Department of Political Science and History School of Social Sciences
CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore
Abstract: Caste-based discrimination remains deeply ingrained in Indian society, with clothing historically functioning as a marker of social hierarchy. For most marginalized communities, clothing has acted as a barrier to exclusion— excluding them from certain fabrics, styles, or even colours. In cinema, clothing has become a vital way of visually encoding caste distinctions while reinforcing or subverting social realities through costume design. The representation of caste dynamics in the Malayalam film industry explores the complexities of caste identity and violence as well as the socio-political realities of marginalized communities (Karthika). This study examines the costume depiction of low-caste characters of two Malayalam films from different time periods. It looks into how these visual markers of caste identity have evolved in response to socio-political transformations and whether their portrayals in cinema challenge or perpetuate caste-based hierarchies.
Clothing was also an instrument of resistance in movements such as the Channar Revolt, where women of oppressed castes fought for the right to cover their upper bodies, and in the Swadeshi movement, which wore indigenous fabric to signify resistance to the economic exploitation by the colonial forces. Sartorial choices in cinema form an important tool for understanding the intricacies of caste dynamics. This study uses a qualitative methodology, combining historical analysis and sartorial semiotics. The investigation will also consider how clothing in cinema captures power relations. A comparative approach will trace the development of these representations, pointing out changes in the representation of lower-caste clothing in contemporary contexts. The study underlines the importance of costume design as a tool of both oppression and empowerment, showing how it has been used to shape audience perceptions of caste identity and social mobility.
Keywords: Visual Culture, Caste and Clothing, Sartorial Semiotics, Malayalam Cinema
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