In this column, we'll be assessing the alleged problematic-ness of a film known as Monisha En Monalisa. Those who're conversant in the oeuvre of T Rajendran and keep in mind this one could also be saying, oh my God why within the precise everloving heck.
Allegedly Problematic' is a month-to-month column by Kuzhali Manickavel, which takes a cheeky take a look at literary/cultural choices from the previous that would now be thought of, effectively, problematic — and asks, 'But are they actually?'.
Read extra from the sequence right here.
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Hi fam! Today we had been supposed to speak about one thing known as the “problematic-ness of discussing problematic things in regional cinema”. Unfortunately, I can’t keep in mind what that was imagined to imply. I feel I wished to speak about how when a girl talks about sexism or different points in Tamil motion pictures, I'm instantly involved for her security. But if I’m sincere, I'm additionally pondering that she most likely didn’t “get” the film, and that posh, higher-class, city “Peters” are sometimes too Western to know actual Tamil cinema.
I'd like to say that these are the gross ideas of some entitled previous dude, however they're my gross ideas. The absurdity of this doesn't escape me. I strive very onerous to seem woke on the web. And right here I'm, having un-woke ideas and berating allegedly “English” issues. In English. I feel it’s type of like once you hit your self with your personal hand and say dude why are you hitting your self.
Here’s the factor. I've a really particular love for Tamil cinema, one thing that started in class. The complete Tamil cinema expertise was one thing all of us took very, very severely and this meant following sure guidelines. For occasion, we by no means, ever, EVER criticised the hero. If he slapped somebody, ate somebody or set somebody on hearth, it was as a result of they deserved it. Everything a hero did was ALWAYS superior. ALWAYS. The “kindal” or “eve-teasing” songs which younger males used to harass us on the street had been high quality within the film, as a result of the hero was individual, the heroine really appreciated him too, they had been simply having enjoyable, the heroine was asking for it, and many others. Stalking was actual love, like actually, actually, actually actual love. And if the lady simply accepted the stalker within the first place, the whole lot can be high quality.
This was aside from the same old tropes — all good girls wore saris. Women had been merely totally different than males. And this was why the concept of a girl being equal to a person, was “feminist” — aka the worst factor ever ever.
Still from Monisha En Monalisa. Screengrab by way of YouTube
Cinema was a really large a part of who we had been. And at any time when we noticed one thing that made us uncomfortable, we by no means allowed ourselves to really feel uncomfortable. We defended and justified the whole lot we noticed as a result of….effectively, I’m unsure why. And I nonetheless do that, even right now as a result of deep down, I'm massively invested in defending Tamil cinema from…I’m unsure of that both.
In an effort to unravel this supremely absurd state of affairs, I assumed I'd look again on sure movies from my youth and assess their alleged problematic-ness. These are motion pictures which made me uncomfortable. But I dismissed the problematic facets as being misunderstood or not an enormous deal. Of course if these had been English motion pictures, I'd have loudly whined about how terrible they had been.
I wish to kick this off by assessing the alleged problematic-ness of a film known as Monisha En Monalisa. Those who're conversant in the oeuvre of T Rajendran and keep in mind this one could also be saying, oh my God why within the precise everloving heck. Well, when this film got here out, we had been all fascinated with it as a result of it gave the impression to be brimming over with “white” North Indians, it had one thing known as pc know-how and the dialogues had been closely interspersed with English. All of this was extremely glamorous to us.
I additionally keep in mind this film as a result of on the time, a lot of women in my class had been already being harassed by numerous younger males who had been following them dwelling, attempting to the touch them in crowds, harassing them on the street and slipping them notes which frequently decreased these women to tears. And right here was this film a few man who was additionally stalking a lady and it was high quality as a result of it was actual love! I imply, golly fam!
So! In our subsequent thrilling instalment! We will watch Monisha En Monalisa and see if it truly is problematic! Can’t hardly wait y’all!
Kuzhali Manickavel is the creator of the brief story collections 'Insects Are Just like You and Me besides Some of Them Have Wings' and 'Things We Found During the Autopsy', each out there from Blaft Publications
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