tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post8641863929630354208..comments2024-01-22T00:55:41.067-08:00Comments on Thinking Got Loud: Portrayal of women in Tamil Cinema: A few reflectionsRam Muralihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15932557588480669430noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-45025270756190824262023-02-01T15:02:10.146-08:002023-02-01T15:02:10.146-08:00Really a good site and good information.Really a good site and good information.Tamilplayhttps://tamilplay.bond/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-82783194498405538332020-04-25T06:05:50.522-07:002020-04-25T06:05:50.522-07:00Isaidub.ga Tamil dubbed movies download for free.f...<a href="https://isaidub.ga/" rel="nofollow">Isaidub.ga</a> Tamil dubbed movies download for free.<a href="https://isaidub.ga/tag/final-destination-film-series/" rel="nofollow">final destination</a> tamil movie download free.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-42791512813256562442017-09-29T08:33:31.248-07:002017-09-29T08:33:31.248-07:00Comment from Iswarya via e-mail. Thank you, Iswar...Comment from Iswarya via e-mail. Thank you, Iswarya, for your kind and, as always, measured response.<br /><br />"Thanks for sharing the link here. I read through your blog post. I liked the points you made about the Meera Jasmine role and Agni Saatchi. But on the whole, as Anu and others have said, I have limited patience with filmmakers still walking away with praise in 2017 just for "trying". I guess you must have sensed that even in my response to Taramani. I suppose it's the impatience that stems from the annoyance of everyday life as a woman in India. :)<br /><br />However, you've written from a very balanced position not letting personal frustration cloud your judgement and I sometimes feel KB deserves a more sympathetic appraisal than what he currently gets from many women. That way I appreciate your giving him his due. <br /><br />I am glad you shared with me your thoughts on this subject that obviously interests me a lot."Ram Muralihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15932557588480669430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-47010783176605926932017-09-29T06:05:55.545-07:002017-09-29T06:05:55.545-07:00Ravishanker - nandri :)
I got a couple of inter...Ravishanker - nandri :) <br /><br />I got a couple of interesting responses via e-mail to this article, which I have requested permission to share.Ram Muralihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15932557588480669430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-27277356900333706632017-09-29T01:03:54.410-07:002017-09-29T01:03:54.410-07:00Ram Murali : Nice turn of phrase :)Ram Murali : Nice turn of phrase :)Zolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09347849134451149946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-9278919326918602042017-09-28T09:21:56.269-07:002017-09-28T09:21:56.269-07:00Ha ha. Just realised it after seeing Ravishanker&#...Ha ha. Just realised it after seeing Ravishanker's comment. :)Venkateshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-63196925340694806992017-09-28T08:03:59.743-07:002017-09-28T08:03:59.743-07:00Venkatesh - thalaiva, pora poakula that will be re...Venkatesh - thalaiva, pora poakula that will be rephrased, "Let's not throw KB out with the bathwater" :) May his soul rest in peace. :)<br /><br />Ram Muralihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15932557588480669430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-5942816425038909192017-09-28T00:51:42.967-07:002017-09-28T00:51:42.967-07:00Venkatesh: "Okay, let's not throw the ba...Venkatesh: "Okay, let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater" :) Ha Ha :)Zolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09347849134451149946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-7147456997773281012017-09-27T11:58:21.158-07:002017-09-27T11:58:21.158-07:00Haven't seen VIP 2 but as pointed out by many ...Haven't seen VIP 2 but as pointed out by many in BR's blog, it appears that Dhanush's character does come across as condescending in the climactic sequence, where he talks about gender equality. Also, it seems that the character is some sort of a "new age" feminist that obfuscates gender inequality by using the modern day definition of feminism - that men and women were ALWAYS equal.<br /><br />GVM's characters have never looked real to me. Even the clip that you've posted here begins with Trisha saying, "Ippadi smart ayitae pona naanga ellam enna panradhu". The Ajith character doesn't convince me that he would marry a single mother. On the other hand, Kamal asking Saranya to marry him in Nayagan/Vijaykanth asking Revathi to marry him in Chatriyan convinces me a lot. Simply put, GVM is a poor clone of the 80s Mani Ratnam in many aspects.<br /><br />I think Mahendran and Balu Mahendra wrote better women characters partly because they both were inspired by Ray. Ray followed the Tagorean approach rather than the feminist one - which is why his characters have aged very well.<br /><br />KB ya pathi inimey solradhukku onnum illa. Okay, let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater. :)Venkateshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-238855610464163312017-09-25T13:05:50.114-07:002017-09-25T13:05:50.114-07:00Ram
Since I belong to an older generation, I can t...Ram<br />Since I belong to an older generation, I can think of movies that Lakshmi made in those days-Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidargal was way ahead of times in Jayakanthan's thinking and Lakshmi's portrayal of Ganga was so well groomed and I think a shade better that than that envisaged by the author. Similarly Sirai was another trendsetter where the woman defied society in her bold decision.<br />Yes-KB was the first to do women oriented movies in a male dominated Shivaji MGR days and for that reason alone he needs to be lauded. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02130601742428140985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-56947541191547483212017-09-25T10:24:32.807-07:002017-09-25T10:24:32.807-07:00Hello everyone - thank you for all your comments. ...Hello everyone - thank you for all your comments. Not responding individually like I usually do lest I repeat my points of view and explanations from my write-up. The varied reactions were very interesting to read. Disagreeing on these things is par for the course given the nature of the topic! :)Ram Muralihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15932557588480669430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-6898235744741861802017-09-25T09:37:55.538-07:002017-09-25T09:37:55.538-07:00Very well put Anonymous. Well balanced article by ...Very well put Anonymous. Well balanced article by Ram MuraliZolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09347849134451149946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-5261425555629599752017-09-25T06:57:29.715-07:002017-09-25T06:57:29.715-07:00Thank you for a balanced blog post on this issue. ...Thank you for a balanced blog post on this issue. Easy to rave, rant and find fault with everyone that makes a Tamil film but I liked that you offered a measured point of view. <br /><br />I am surprised you didn't mention the movies by Mahendran, a director who represented women interestingly and with lot of depth. Johnny was a great movie. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-9864268418594261342017-09-25T05:12:11.090-07:002017-09-25T05:12:11.090-07:00Don't have much to say about the portrayal of ...Don't have much to say about the portrayal of women characters in Tamil films, given that I don't/haven't watched many of the newer ones, but I must agree with Anusha on the general sentiment expressed. I'm tired of doling out praise because to the makers because they 'try' to do something different. Asking that women not be objectified or shown as stereotypes is not a 'feminist' view - it is a humanist one. There are rare rays of hope, but they are few and far between. <br /><br />Like Ravishanker, I too have several bones to pick about KB's portrayal of womanhood, but that'll serve for another day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-17579750671301442002017-09-25T02:32:50.206-07:002017-09-25T02:32:50.206-07:00Ram Murali :
You've given us a lot to chew o...Ram Murali :<br /><br />You've given us a lot to chew on with another of your thematic articles on Tamil cinema.<br /><br />Very well written! My favourite segment of the article was the Meera Jasmine character - when he explodes she implodes . Vow ! Reminds me of Bruce Lee's philosophy (when the opponent expands I contract)<br /><br /><br />Having said that I enjoyed reading Anusha's reactions - especially the "thuru thuru" part :)<br /><br />Now, you've taken a position - quite a reasonable and safe position - I'm tending to agree with you broadly in that the benchmark for portrayal of women in tamil cinema is so low that any good morsel becomes a meal.<br /><br />I do have issues with KB's portrayal of women(havent seen vasanth's movies and since I'll hit the half century mark in less than 2 years I probably never will since I dont get around to seeing movies anyway).<br /><br />I dont think KB really understands women. IMHO its objectification of a different kind. For instance, his portrayal of "Woman is a bundle of contradictions" was pretty shallow and dull to say the least.<br /><br /><br />If its any help even as recent as 1982 Male chauvinism in Hollywood was alive and kicking to an obnoxious degree. So we have a looooong way to go I guess..... <br /><br />Zolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09347849134451149946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-36547131793597168672017-09-24T18:08:45.316-07:002017-09-24T18:08:45.316-07:00Thank you Ram for your thoughts on how women are p...Thank you Ram for your thoughts on how women are portrayed in our movies. I strongly believe that Directors portray how they see women in our society. Directors like Balachander, Balu mahendra and Bharathi Raja gave women strong characters to play. These directors probably saw such strong women and wanted the society to know or may be they wanted women to be strong. As far as Vasanth is concerned, I really think he played it safe- didn't really want to take chances with the women in his films although they were very dignified. Some of the recent directors may have portrayed women better than our previous gen directors as times are changing. The women in our society are no longer the ones who lived 50 yrs ago. Directors and film makers will have to change the way the portray women when the society changes. Movies are a reflection of our society. Doesn't mean they can make any kind of movies. Just saying that we as people need to change for us to see the change in movies. These directors will be forced to change or they become outdated. A movie like VIP doesn' t offend me- it is a harmless entertainer. I am a woman, mother and a daughter and none of what has been told in the movie bother me. Just because we are women, we must not take exception to anything and everything said in movies. Shalini is a harmless character- and remember there are several Shalinis out there in our society who lead the exact same lives as her. Why so much hue and cry about this movie? This debate can go on and on but my point is that we need to raise the red flag for real issues and not make an issue out of everything related to women.Vimala parasuramnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-19862314068641275242017-09-24T14:01:54.148-07:002017-09-24T14:01:54.148-07:00Had more to say but submitted my comment.
I'm ...Had more to say but submitted my comment.<br />I'm actually getting a bit tired of the standard Mani Ratnam Heroine. This whole 'thuru-thuru' behaviour has been done to death! Playing pranks, making jokes, prancing about (sometimes in the rain).<br /><br />Regarding your point about Vasanth, I always feel puzzled about why a decent portrayal is only awarded to those characters Tamil culture considers 'modest'. Are other types of characters not deserving of such decency on film? <br /><br />I am not keen on watching Magalir Mattum to be honest. I fear it may just be like attending an early morning lecture. While I'm loving Jothika's clothes and accessories in her recent public appearances, something about her 'women empowerment' spiel doesn't ring true. She thanks her feminist husband and his family for letting her act, she has to constantly play the part of 'wife' in public, and she has chosen only what we again 'modest' characters in her comeback. There probably aren't enough roles for her to pick from, sure, but her husband meanwhile plays the most regressive characters on screen. <br /><br />I agreed with Jothika's points about immature heroines who are used as props though (in one of her recent speeches).<br /><br /><br />Curious about Valla Desam. I've always liked Anu Hasan. Anushahttp://anusrini20.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-332491328939495514.post-29652480913645236012017-09-24T13:51:25.658-07:002017-09-24T13:51:25.658-07:00I still do not agree with your explanation of the ...I still do not agree with your explanation of the Shalini character in VIP-2. Sure, she dictates what groceries to buy and what they will eat, but there is no mistaking that this is her place now that she is married. There is no dignity in her portrayal. Shalini here is just a stereotype pretending to be an individual. Her suggestion to work is met with dismissal. I really don't take the hero's foray into feminism seriously. It only makes me cringe. It is in the same vein that celebrates women for being homemakers, while simultaneously insinuating that it is their duty and responsibility to be homemakers, somehow passing judgment on those women who are not homemakers. Also, it is terribly easy to make a wife a nagging one. It is a common sentiment anyway. <br />As for Vasundhara, the hero talks down to her. She is shown to be arrogant and inconsiderate, which the hero is not (of course). She talks rudely to a prospective client, and she couldn't have become so successful if she had conducted business this way. <br />We must expect more from these movies. They are watched by everyone, they are held up as examples, the dialogues are repeated in casual conversations among friends, the men find endorsement of their viewpoints in them. This movie is so broadly staged and so gratuitous, both to unemployed engineers and women. Anushahttp://anusrini20.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com