“Women in the Domestic Sphere: A Content Analysis of New generation Women Oriented Malayalam film”

ABSTRACT

Film is a big part of people’s day to day lives, which influence the how we see ourselves and the world to some extent. The film is a medium which construct the image of men and women, through the representation may varies according to the difference in the characteristics of the character they are representing. There are a number of researches are made on the gender representation in movies. But through the research I want to know about how the male dominant Malayalam film industry portrays strong women characters. 

The study titled, “Women in the Domestic Sphere: A Content Analysis of New generation Women Oriented Malayalam film” is a sincere effort to study the selected film from the new generation Malayalam film, in which either the  themes revolved around women or the women characters and their treatment reflect the social norms and tradition of Kerala. Here I want to understand about how the leading film makers of Keralahave treated women characters and themes related to women in their film, and how well it is in compromise with the customs and status of women in the society of south India, especially in  Kerala.

This study was a content analysis of the portrayal of women as subordinate to the men in the domestic sphere through the institution of marriage and love. Here I am going to analyses 2 Malayalam films which are made after 2005, which came under the genre of new generation films.  In the study I include two commercially successful Malayalam film of last decade, they are; How Old Are YOU and 22 Female Kottayam, with reference to the female protagonists Nirupama Rajeevan and Tessa respectively and each film selected coding and analysis on multiple variables such as time, visual representation, dialogues, background sound, physical appearance and the relationship between other character.

INTRODUCTION

The Malayalam film industry has so many characteristics features. It has a history starting with Mr. J C Daniel and many of the other legendary figures. The representation of women is one of the vital issues since the early period. There was not much acceptance and recognition for women during that time and that could have been the reason for a male centric history. This is enough reason to study the representation of women as subordinate male majorly in the domestic sphere, through the institution of marriage, love and maternity.  Is an important topic which should be studied in great details.

Usually film considered as one of the most effective and realistic art form, which reflect whatever it gain from the society as a mirror. It has reflected and represented our social life which is historically patriarchal one.

The study is actually based on 2 women oriented new generation Malayalam movies and each of them portrays the characters of women from different social strata of society. The movies are How Old Are You (2014) directed by Rosshan Andrrews satred by Manju Warrier, along with Kunchako Boban,  Kanika, Lalu Alex and Amrutha Anil. The film is talking about the life of a 36 years old Nirupama Rajeev, who is a wife as well as a U D clerk in Revenue Department. She sacrifices entire life for the family which consists of her husband, Rajeev (Kunchako Boban) and daughter Lekshmi Rajeev (Amrutha Anil), and Rajeev’s parents.

The second film is 22 Female Kottayam (22FK) (2012) directed by Aashiq Abu and starring Rima Kallingal and Fahad Fassil in leading role. It is the story of film is revolved aroud Tessa K Abhraham (Rima Kallingal). The storyis dealing with the travails of 22-year-old nurse Tessa from Kottayam, a district in Kerala, who was raped and then takes revenge on those who exploit her. The movie contains alimited number of actors and talk about the revenge one can take on the predators

Both the films are representing womanhood differently. In one film woman is considered to as a tool to domestic work and in the other she is only the tool for sexual pleasure.  

The new generation film is the new wave film in Malayalam industry, started as a movement in mid 2010, which is characterized by the fresh and unusual themes and new narrative techniques. The films of this kind are different from the traditional way and themes of film of last 3 decade, by introducing a number of novel trend and new actors in to the Malayalam film industry. It brings erosion in the “superstar” system prevailed in the film industry for years. It also characterized by the real life screen play, which is rooted to reality and closer to life and the lead character becomes a normal common women or men. The introduction of new actors and the absence of super stars, and the story set up in the metro centric urban middle class life, becomes the theme of story lines were noted in the wave.

Over the last hundred years of Malayalam cinema, a specific amount of meanings have come to settle around the institution of marriage and family in Kerala. Now we can see that the Malayalam film industry is changing its face over the stereotypes and norm, and portraying the women as a strong character. Then also we can sow the loop holes in the screen play were she is always under the dominance of her husband in the domestic sphere. Even if they are represented as working women, who have all the strength to be alone boldly and fight, but when she is in the domestic sphere she become the slaves of the husband, the master.

The problem put forth by the thesis is how the gender discourse is represented in the film through the visuals, narration, dialogue, back ground music, etc. film is an important area of study since when it shows what is socially acceptable.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION

Film: A film or a movie or a motion picture is a series of still or moving images produced by recording photographic images with cameras or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects. The process of filmmaking has developed into an art form and an industry. Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures, which reflect those cultures and in turn affect them. Films are a popular source of entertainment and educating the masses. The visual elements of cinema give motion pictures a universal power of communication.

Gender: The word gender has been used since the 14th century as a grammatical term referring to classes of noun designated as masculine, feminine or euter in some languages. Although the words gender and sex have the sense ‘state of being male or female, they are typically used in slightly different ways: Sex tends to refer to biological differences while gender refers to cultural or social ones’. (Oxford University Press)

Gender is a range of characteristics of feminity and masculinity, depending on the context, the term may refer to such concepts as sex (as in the general sense of being male or female), social roles or gender identity. Sexologist John Money introduced the modern academic sense of the word, in the context of social roles of men and women in 1955 and was further popularized and developed by feminist movement from the 1970s. (Wikipedia) 

Subordination: Subordination is an act of placing in a lower kind. The subordination can say an act of making others dependent, secondary or subservient. (Online Etymology Dictionary)

New generation films:  “It is a Malayalam film movement developed in the early 2010s, characterized by fresh and unusual themes and new narrative techniques. Films of the new wave differ from conventional themes of the past two decades (1990s and 2000s) and introduced several new trends to the Malayalam industry. While the new generation formats and styles are deeply influenced by global and Indian trends, their thematics are firmly rooted in Malayalee life and mindscapes. The new generation also helped to revive the Malayalam film industry in the early 2010s.

 Erosion of the so-called "superstar" system in popular Malayalam films coincided with rise of the new wave where screenplay got rooted-to-reality; closer-to-life and lead characters became ordinary men and women. Influx of new actors, the absence of superstars, rise of metro-centric/urban and middle-class themes and different story-lines were also noted in the wave. While formats and styles of the new directors are deeply influenced by the global and Indian trends, their thematic were firmly rooted in Malayali life and mind-scape.  A recurrent trope in these new narratives is accidents, coincidences, casual encounters and chance meetings that set in motion an unexpected chain of events affecting the lives of the characters drifting in the urban flotsam. The frequent use of Malayalam influenced by English is also noted in the films”. (Wikipedia)

Women centric movies: It is a film genre which includes women-centered narratives, female protagonists and is designed to appeal to a female audience. (Wikipedia).

            In order to be considered a women centric film, this film would have to focus on one or more female characters – one protagonist and/or other female characters – at the center of the narrative. A female protagonist or female lead constitutes therefore the main characteristic of women centric. It is her story, told from her perspective. Women centric film differs from definitions such as woman’s film or chick flick in that it does not refer to a specific genre of films. In other words, it includes animated films, horror films, (romantic) comedies, and fantasy and action films. What matters is that the story is told from her perspective – be it an animated female character or girl in the horror film. (womenandhollywood.com

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

1

Men Speak and Women Are Seen: How Bollywood Lets Down Its Leading Ladies

By, Advaita Kala

Accessed on: 28- September- 2014

In India, the films are male centric now a days. Those films are generally avoiding the female character only as a body not as a human. But this trend is changing now a days, because there is a number of female centric movies like Mary Kom, Mardaani, etc. But we should also have to know that these films are not setting up a good commercial success, or did not attract that kind of popularity which gets to those male dominant films and those female stars also less privileged than that of male super stars. The issue we face with “exposure” in our films more often than not is that it has become a means of engaging the audience, since most movie viewers in theaters are men than women. 

 The objectification of women body became naturalized by using terms such as item dance, or item girl which is now even performed by those main female actresses because those people are realizing that they can’t hold their hand on the industry without accommodating these changes. So they are even ready to do an item dance in order to maintain their star status. It may be a process of fixing accountability. Those female actresses doesn’t have that kind of power which possessed by the male super star in the Indian film. There is a big challenge in the film field now, so that they have to make themselves to change according to the change in field. To fulfill these changes the actresses should be ready to access for those replacement.

But things are changing now. There emerge a number of female centric films like Queen, Finding Funny, Mary Kom and Mardaani. This film succeeded in box office and has done a respectable business. The film Mary Komwhich gained a position in the box office by collecting fifty crores topping the list. But here the story should be seen in other sense that this is not came near to the collection of so called mega stars films which enter in the hundred crore club within  two or three days. But this is a progress where the women’s voice also came in to the light and it was more than expected or predicted in past.

The article is hoghlighting how the women are represented and objectified in hindi films. It also says that even the women oriented films get good review and collection, they can’t match to the mainstream heroes whose films are in 100 crore club.

·         This article is dealing only with the objectification of the bodies of women, but not talks about how they are representing lesser human, through the characterization and to make the men a hero.

·         When it talks about the representation, talks only about the representation as an item girl. A woman is not only representing as an item girl (sexual objectification), but also as an obedient wife or a weak lover, whose only job is to love, cry and ask hero for help.

2

PORTRAYAL OF GENDER INEQUALITY IN BOLLYWOOD CINEMA..

By: Antara Das Halder

https://www.academia.edu/12314094/Portrayal_of_gender_inequality_in_Bollywood_Cinema

Accessed on: 27-03- 2016-03-27

  

In third world countries like India, gender imbalance can be seen in almost all the aspects in society and all the institutions like educational institution, in the field of employment, and the health scenario. The gender inequality can be seen in all the sphere of society, even the mother wants a son, than the daughter. And it is complex and diversified in India because it is a multi faceted country. The inequality is based on the ego centric men who are dominating in the society over the women. In India the society which is essentially patriarchal, thought that a woman should need an anchor to survive and man can be act as those anchor, he may be a father husband or son. The Bollywood films are the in the mode of changing phase and they are representing it in the realistic manner. But even though there also women are representing as less privileged in these films. So these films are also criticized for not to questioned the existing factors of gender inequality.

In almost all the commercial films women are considered as the bearers of second class status. The women are portrayed as inferior, and weaker than that of hero, who can even do fantasies and what women can do is to seek help from the hero.  Our constitution gives everyone equal right and provides each with equality without taking consideration of gender, religion, geographic area, etc. but in our society and its representation- film- are seen women as tools to do the households and machines to give birth, and take care of the entire family. However there are certain films that depict women as superwoman and have focused in echoing their voice.

            The film can be taken as tool for social reformation which helps to spread information about happenings on the society as like other mass media. Cinema is a not a tool for mere entertainment or a piece of art but also a tool for expressing the feelings of human and idea of contemporary society. It also can help in knowing about the changes that are taken place in the mentality of people, society as well as the political and economic scenario in the country do to the coming of neo liberal marketing, and globalization and the demolition of earlier feudal system and new economic order and lifestyle brings a novel light in to the film field.

            Most of the people take film as a good medium of entertainment which provides an enjoyment and relaxation. But on the other hand they are also trying to convey the process of enlightenment happened in the society through challenges and involvements. Films are now considered as a usable tool of socialization in India. The medium of film is always capable of reflecting the society, because the content in this media is highly commercialized and through which one can guarantee the widest possible acceptance by the largest possible audience. film which came under the cultural industry, which manufacture and sell images of masculinity and feminity. But the women portrayed in main stream TV serials are not at all related to the real life of the women in our society. TV serials are the exaggerated form of the real life.

            The projection of feminity and female body in Bollywood film industry became stereotypical in nature from the beginning itself. Only a less number of films are coming out from industry which are women centric and shows women are capable of thinking independently and capable of choosing their own career. Female characters in popular Bollywood masala films are considering as the object for worship and of pleasure. It should rewrite these concepts of commercializing female’s body as a sex object.

            Film takes the problem faced by the women or the matters related to women and the socio- economic problems as the theme, avoiding reality as such. They very little concerned about the real cause effect relationship and, noting done for the development of women and brings up their self esteem. The women are treated in films as domestic dolls who are the always ready to do any work and pandering to the fancies of dominating husband and in- laws. The young women and girl children were representing and depicting in a way that the only goal in their life is to get a good relation and get married. 

Through this reading, Antara Das Halder arguing that the cinema has a eminent role in any society. She argues that the films are influencing the people a lot.

·         She only talks about the influence of film on the society, and how the things represented in the film create a false consciousness on the audience. But she ignores the reality that film itself is the representation of reality; it talks about the happenings in the society. Even the film is based on the imagination of its writer and director, it should be based on a real story which is heard or witnessed by them.

·         She says about those few films which are woman oriented, but she don’t even notice the dominance of a man over that main feminine character, he may be a father, husband, or son.

3

THE STEREOTYPICAL PORTRAYAL OF WOMEN 

IN COMMERCIAL INDIAN CINEMA

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Communications University of Houston

By: Sowmya Nandakumar

Accessed on: 25/02/2016

            There are only a limited number of female members in the production fields. It is hard to believe that there should be an equal representation of women on those screens in which the male directors and male professionals work without gender biases and not necessarily explore women’s problems as such and their views on the world, their perspective, thoughts and subjective reality. These days more number of women are coming in to the field but it restricted up to play back singing, dance choreography, etc.  There are only a limited number of lyricists and some in to the field of direction, but they can’t get the familiarity which getting to their male counterpart.

            The notion of what the women can do on screen is coming out from the directors’ notion of what the women are. These notions are based on the directors’ beliefs, attitudes and values and how he is thinking about women. He combines his perspectives and beliefs in to a form which also appeal to the audience, so that he also recreates the reality with romance. The viewer want those thing which are appealing to their life, beliefs, values, reference of mind, which generally come from the society they live, and changes from place to place, where the director also include.

            The Indian commercial film industry has a vicious cycle, where the director’s views and preferences came in to the film and takes its shape according to the film and accordingly to meet the profit margin. And those scenes on the big screen appeals to the preferences of the masses, and then these things became the structure of the society and the distribution of power structure. According to which the audience distinguish their preference. The director also is from the same society and then these power structures are crawl in to the screen from the beginning to the end to make the women as second class citizens. Women are also appearing as vamp. And they are stereotypically represented as cruel who have an urge to money and power, which can kill anybody.

            There is a pre conceived notion in the society on the women and media such as film and by those notion women should play role were she is loved and lulled by the hero, and ask help from him. So films portray the existing system in the society and stereotype reinforced and the cycle continuous. The film follows the culture of traditional Indian society where the society itself regulates the conduct of women. So that film represent ideal woman as an ideal wife who always loyal to the husband, and obeys his orders without any hesitation. Generally bad women in the screen are immoral, a cabaret dancer, wearing sexy dresses which reveals their body to the audience, often flirt with men.

            The point of this analysis is not to argue that women should not be objectified or that it is immoral for women in films to expose their bodies. These are personal choices made by actresses and directors. However, the way this exposure and exhibition of sexuality is portrayed on screen has an undercurrent, which carries messages to the audience, reinforcing further, the pre-existing stereotypes in society, adding strength to the vicious cycle.

            This situation can be changed when the film writers and the directors think out of the box and in the point of view of women frequently than they do it now. It may help to control the vicious cycle of stereotyping of women in the film. Cinema is a highly impressionistic medium and it is important for this medium to be an instrument that enables people to think differently and empathize with alternative perceptions of reality.

The article is talking about both the aspects of direction as well as audience. And how they are creating the sense of art in the society where there is a lot of inequality. The author also talks about the situation of representation of women in off-screen film space. He also think about how the film became male centric than female oriented. The perspectives of both the directors and the audience were taking into account when a film came in to being. 

·         The entire research is based on qualitative method where the author tries to make a comprehensive study on the Bollywood film with the help of a number of Bollywood film such as Sholay and make a study on how the women are portrayed in that film.

·         She talks about the perspectives and views of directors and viewers but did not talks about the conditioning of religions in the Indian culture which influence the

·         Mentality of the people in the society.

4

GENDER REPRESENTATION IN THE CINEMA OF ASSAM:

A STUDY OF REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN ASSAMESE

CINEMA SINCE ITS INCEPTION

By : Rashmi Sarmah

Accessed on: 25/02/2016

            For any film, the story, theme and subject are of utmost importance, and many films are influenced by literature. Assamese films are either based on literary works, mythology or folk tales and history, or simply are a remake of other language films into Assamese. In total, through these eight decades of Assamese cinema, the state has produced approximately, only 430 films. And sadly, in case of many remarkable films made in the past, the prints could not be preserved well.

            Assames films give importance to the women and it resolves around the women or at least show the women protagonist in the film as in entire film. Most of the films portray women as strong and belief in the strength of women in the Assam’s population. In Assam women were   are get more privileges and believed to be in a better status than the women in other part of the country.

            Even they are trying to present the women as strong enough to do work by themselves, earning for their food, etc. there is sometime the patriarchy came in to being as like they introduce men characters to helping out the women in their needs, and the identity of women depends on any male member in the society, it may be a husband, father, or son. The male point of view or patriarchal values, on expectations from women in society does reflect here, though the film focuses on the importance of women in Assamese society and the respect given by men to women here. So the message remains a little contradictory.

            The Assames film also represents the women as how the audience wants to see them on the screen as well as in the society, especially what men folk are expecting from the women, where the class, caste and religion of the women never take in to consideration and doesn’t matter what the strata were the women posses in the society. She should be a strong earning person on the other hand she should be a responsible wife, lover or daughter. Even she is entering in to the public sphere she should back to the suppressive house made or homely women, who always under the control of male dominant domestic sphere at the end of the film.

            The men were representing as strong, who is the back bone of the family who earn for the livelihood, who always have an ego that the male is the dominant class of the society. These kinds of stereotypical representations may mislead the real life of women in Assames society, and the film maker has done injustice towards the Assames women who are well enough to take care of their families. The women in the Assames film represents sometimes, as the symbol of simplicity, kindness and tolerance.

            The film makers are trying to represent women as less important. Some other really wants to make the women as strong enough to control their lives without harming the other. Some are also tried to establish equality of gender, where both male and female should participate in the system of society equal strength and responsibilities.

            In this article the author argues that what is in the reality is losing when it came in to the film, by comparing the Assames films with the society. She argues that the women are more empowered in Assam than other states in India. The Assames films were representing the stereotypical women images than the real women images in that society. She argues that the women are representing as strong outside her house, where she is working, or travelling, but inside the home she is only a tool for doing works and always subordinate to the male counterpart

·         She only talks about stereotypical representation of women in Assames film but not talk about why this stereotyping came in to exist.

·         She is only talking about the stereotypical representation in cinema and doesn’t even give a hint about any positive representation.

5

GENDER ROLE IN MEDIA

By: Rebecca L Collins

Accessed on: 28- 02- 2016

            There are a number of researches are doing over the women and their representation in media such as print, electronic and new media. A study by Mr. Rebecca Collins in 2011 on the content analysis of gender roles in media  she found that the women are representing in the media as a lesser human and often they are treated in a negative way (p 290). Collins noted in her study that “they are shown in traditionally feminine roles. Women are portrayed as non professionals, home makers, wives or parents, and sexual gatekeepers.” She concluded the thesis by stating that the women are still represented as in a lower level than men.

Ashe is also talking about the stereotypical representation of men as well as women and the depiction of men with the masculine traits such as strong, violent and dominant.

            She also states, how the study on stereotypical representation is important to understand the impact of these factors on the children. The representation of men and women on screen which further influence mind set while their assumptions over femininity and masculinity, and they create some false assumption of men and women.  The small kids are aware of the gender classification in the cartoons and animated   media. In her study, he get  in to a conclusion that the kids can predicted which cartoon boys or girls would like better due to previously learned stereotypes and gender roles. When a child continuously exposed to these kind of content, there will arise the normalization of socially acceptable behaviour.

            The gender representation through the media came in to been the part of society because it has been popularized by the constant exposure through media and inter actions. She is concluding her study by stating that the gender behavior of both sex such as masculinity and femininity were creating by the environment that we interact consciously and unconsciously with the society.

·         In the study she is talking about how the gender (both male and female) are representation influence the mind set of society, especially children, but don’t say anything about how the society influence the media.

·         She in concentrated on electronic media and the influence on the children by that particular media, completely avoid that the problems of representation.

·         She talks about gender in general and did not distinguish the how the representation of women are different from the representation of men.

6

SHE WEARS PINK AND HE WEARS BLUE: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF GENDER ROLE IN CHILDREN’S FILMS.

By: Nicole Jasperson

Accessed on: 19-04-2016

            The study is talking about the how the children’s film represents the gender stereotypes. There are a number of children films which are stereotypically representing women as weak, seeking for help and men as strong and who helps the others especially women.

            Here the researcher used quantitative content analysis by analyzing various characters in children’s films. Sample consists of 3 films such as toy Story 3, Cars 2, And Brave. The study is based on comparing how the female and female traits are using in those films.

            It also discusses the influence of children’s film in the society. The topic become important because content in those films are were helping the children to socialize at a young age. Children are flexible and they learn from various agents of socialization and make their knowledge according to what they see or hear. So that what they saw and heard become a part of their trait.

            He conducted the study in order to investigate the various gender roles presented in children’s film. It also examined the duration of male female presentation in the films and analyses the sex of each characters, the social roles they play and their physical appearance.

             The study is quantitative in nature which numerically analyses the movies and make the results in percentage. And the result shows that the films are heavily male dominant. The women are not getting the equal role, which may further result in the feeling of inferiority among girls because of socialization and naturalization.

            Along with the ratio of male female in the children’s film, also studied how these films are representing the masculinity and femininity, which is different in all the form structure and behaviour. Gender predominant social roles are projected in those children’s movie. The women in those films are doing pink collar job and the boys prefer blue collar job. Here the films are providing a false consciousness of labor intractability by the creation of social construction of masculinity and femininity. The study also examined the physical appearance. The women are with sexually revealing clothing, thinness, is considered as feminine traits.

·         It is a quantitative research where there is only one coder is involved, and no multiple researchers involved in the coding and cross checking.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

            Malayalam film has a precious history of more than 75 years. The contemporary Malayalam film industry has a number of competitions from Kollywood, Tollywood, and other south Indian genre and Bollywood etc. and other entertainment media. As film makers have competed for what was for years as shrinking market, many changes in industry has concentrated its resource on the blockbuster. Then the film industry decided to think in other way and started to make a new genre of film called new generation, which usually low budget film which are made upon real life incidence and real acting, and introduce a group of new actors who had a unique way of representation. The genre new generation is popular after 2010. The new generation Malayalam films are basically deals with the life of ordinary people and ordinary actions. The people who are related to the movements are saying that the themes of these films are social and it represent the social life as   such, so it becomes an open mirror of the society.

            The new generation film makers were arguing that the stories of these movies are based on women, and a large number of women centric film were produced in this period. Last eight decades had seen thousands of Malayalam film’s birth and death. Were some from them strongly caught the mind of audience’s mind and some are went unnoticed.  There are a number of films in which females played a crucial role in the storyline.

            The study is basically aimed at the close analyses the representation of women’s characters in selected films with women centric or socially relevant theme. Through the study the researcher wanted to find out the general belief sbout the status of women in Kerala truly reflected in these films or film makers simply portray “Malayaali” women in a state of universal essence of womanhood, their problems and their strength. The study is also to understand whether the women characters, being portrayed in Malayalam films (focusing on the selected film), have they portrayed as undergone changes through the times and how gender sensitive are the film makers over here.

            The study focusing and closely viewing two Malayalam new generation films by two different renowned contemporary directors in Malayalam film industry and analyzed the major women characters and give focus on the visual and verbal representation of women. Also the treatments of women characters and handling the themes in these films have been discussed. Both the film which are taken for study are women oriented and which reflecting some serious social issues concerning women and the entire society itself, here women are playing an important main characters- central role- in dealing with the social issues strongly affecting the Kerala society.

SCOPE AND UNIQUENESS OF THE STUDY

            There is a customary belief, view and arguments by the proponents of new generation Malayalam film that those films are representing women as strong and professional, and also they are representing the society as such. Women in Kerala are literate and professional in comparison to their counterpart in other   part in India.

            The study is actually aimed at to understand how the contemporary filmmakers of Kerala have been portraying women characters through their film and to what extent are these celluloid representations true to the real scenario. The researcher aimed to study the selected films that are came under the genre new generation, where the women are treated as professionals and strong, and have a socially relevant themes which make women characters in these film important.

            The study also examined how the women characters and their attitudes etc. being portray in the local film. It also hoped to analysis the representation of how the women are treated in their professional career an in the institution of marriage and love and how the women are treated in the domestic sphere.  Also want to know about how the age matters the life of the women by taking in to consideration of different age group women in the film.

            The study titled, “Women in the Domestic Sphere: A Content Analysis of New generation Women Oriented Malayalam film” stand unique as very little studies have been done on new generation Malayalam films. There are a number of study films of any particular film maker in Malayalam film industry. But no study has been done on the Malayalam new generation films in relation to the representation of women in the film. So the area of study becomes unique.

OBJECTIVES

The broader objective of the study

·         To examine the representation of women in new generation women centric Malayalam film.

The specific objectives of the study are as follows:

·         To study the representation of women in the films made in Kerala in the contemporary period (2010-2016)

·         To evaluate role of society to create the stereotypical representation of women through the institution of marriage and love.

·         To rethink how the age and the profession of the women are representing in the film.

·         To explore how the women are portrayed in Malayalam films, politically and socially.

·         To analyze main elements those are influential in representation of women’s identity in the selected two films.

·         To study how the men and women represent stereotypically in the selected films.

·         To understand the different forms of representation of women through the discourse analysis to know how gender is represented in new generation women centric Malayalam film.

·         To assess the gender politics in new generation women centric Malayalam film.

RESEARCH QUESTION

            The research questions formulated on the basis of broad and specific objectives of the study.

            These are the research question:

·         How is the representation of women in new generation women centric Malayalam films?

·         Is the society to create the stereotypical representation of women through the institution of marriage and love?

·         Do the age and professions were made a change in the representation of women in those films?

·         What are the main elements which are influential in creating women’s identity in those selected film?

·         How men and women are represented in the movie?

o   Do the traits of the characters challenge the conventional gender roles? If so, how? If not, in what ways are they doing so?

HYPOTHESIS  

·         The characteristics of strong women in new generation women centric Malayalam films are confined to work place in comparison to domestic front.

·         The women characters in the new generation women centric Malayalam films represented as subordinate to men in the domestic sphere.

METHODOLOGY

            The study use qualitative, comparative and content analysis method as its overall strategy, which consist of analyzing, comparing film text (visual and vocal representation) and the character formulation. The film text and secondary data were analyzed from the point of view of feminism.

            This thesis qualitatively investigates how women are represented in the two movies How Old Are You and 22 Female Kottayam. Researcher analyzes how the women are represented in those movies in order to see how the gender role plays an important role in the society.

            The researcher has first of all selected the film from the genre of Malayalam cinema depending upon the importance to the study and availability of the print of the film. Then analyzing the film- in relation to representation of women on screen- not only the main character also the other significant characters in the chosen films. Also explore how the women’s issues are represented, including how the women characters are positioned in a relationship with the believed status of women in the society.

            It also investigates the role of cinematic language with regard to the construction of gender. The study include in depth analysis of chosen films and library method.

Researcher also uses:

1.      Library method: in this method researcher collect related information regarding his/her topic from the book, paper and from internet. S/he may analyze and relate to the film with the content from the media.

Universe of study:

            The new generation Malayalam film.

Sampling:

            Two new generation Malayalam film.

·         How Old Are You and

·         22 Female Kottayam

The researcher first formulates research questions then s/he defines the universe of study. Then select the universe of study according to the topic. In this study, researcher randomly selected two films in new generation women centric Malayalam film.

Films were viewed and analyzed in the light of the existing literature to closely evaluate the representation of women’s characters in them.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Feminist theory

            Feminism is a movement generally speaking, strive to analyze the change the power structure of patriarchal society (it is a society where men rules and where their values are privileged). The thesis is not propose to offer solutions to the way in which sexual and gender norms create behaviours and ways of living, rather it will work explore the way in which these norms are operating in popular culture.

Patriarchy and subordination:

            Patriarchy literally means the rule of father in a male dominated society. It is a social and ideological construct which considers men are superior to women. It is “a system of social structures and practices in which men dominate, oppress, and exploit women” (Sylvia Walby, “Theorising Partriarchy”).

Social constructivism.

            The basic idea of social constructivism is that the world is socially constructed. The social order in which we perceive the world is right and or wrong, is in the constant state of change. Meaning is constructed through the inter actions between different people and their relation to objects and other people.

HOW OLD ARE YOU

           

 22 FEMALE KOTTAYAM

THE FIRST IMPRESSION

Film	How Old Are You	22 Female Kottayam
Genre	New generation Drama film	New generation Thriller
Director	Roshan Andrrews	Aashiq Abu
Released year	2014	2012
Main characters	Nirupama Rajeev (Manju Warrier) Rajeev Narayanan (Kunchako Boban) Lekshmi  Rajeev(Amrutha Anil ) Sussan David  (Kaniha) Jayachandran (Vinay Forrt) Madhavi Amma (Sethulakshmi) Seetharama Iyer  (Devan)  I G (Lalu Alex)	Tessa  K Abraham(Rima Kallingal) Cyril C Mathew (Fahad Fasil) Hedge (Prathap Pothan) Tissa K Abraham (Riya Saira) Ravi  (T G Ravi)  D K (Sathar ) Zubeida (Rashmi  Sathish) Benny (Vijay Babu )
Plot Setting	Urban middle class life and family	Urban middle class life and the love
Marital status  of female protagonist	Married to Rajeev Narayanan (Kunchako Boban) Mother of a 14 year old girl	Single who fall in love with Cyril C Mathew (Fahad Fasil)
Occupation status  of female protagonist	Nirupama Rajeev is an Upper Division Clerk in Revenue Department	Tessa  K Abraham is a nurse in a private hospital in the city
female protagonist’s Relationship with other  main characters	Rajeev Narayanan (Kunchako Boban): hus band working in AIR Lakshmi Rajeev(Amrutha Anil ): daughter, studying Sussan  (Kaniha) :collage friend working in an MNC Jayachandran (Vinay Forrt): Nirupama’s collegue Madhavi Amma (Sethulakshmi): an aged friend, whom Nirupama treated as mother. Seetharama Iyer  (Devan): a rich man who is giving Nirupama an order for bio farmed vegitables  I G (Lalu Alex)	Cyril C Mathew (Fahad Fasil): lover, who is running a travel agency cum consultancy Hegade (Prathap Pothan): friend of Cyril, who was exploit Tessa Tissa K Abraham (Riya Saira): sister of Tessa Ravi  (T G Ravi): a patient admitted  in the hospital where Tessa is working  D K (Sathar ):  a rich man who help Tessa to take revenge on  Cyril. Zubeida (Rashmi  Sathish): Tessa’s college in the jail Benny (Vijay Babu) a pharmacy owner who sexually abuse Tessa in her school days.

How Old Are You

 

Scene (description of visual content)	Duration (time in second)	Dialogue (description of the words of the actors)	Physical appearance of the characters	My perception
Nirupama is attending an interview for job opportunity in Ireland. There are three people on the interview board. One English man and woman and an Indian woman.	77 sec.	Man: How old are you? Nirupama: 36! Man: 36? Nirupama: Hm, yes! Man: I think you are appeared for a wrong post, the age limit of this post is 35, you know? Nirupama: But sir I am only 36. Man: We are sorry Mrs. Nirupama Rajeev.	Nirupama wears a cotton saree which is neatly pleated and she pleated her hair up to her shoulder. The interviewers are wearing executive suits, in a well manner and they are looking so confident. She is yawning in-between the interview and don’t give any attention to the interviewer’s questions.	Rajeev, Nirupama’s husband who is older than Nirupama got job in Ireland but she is ignored by the authority only because she is 1 year above the age limit. Here we understand the difference between woman and man, the man always limitless and woman have a limit to her dreams. Nirupama is presented in the first half of the film as a person who is not at all interested in anything, who is physically weak and always sleepy,
Nirupama is travelling to her office from the interview. She is standing in the bus and sleeping. And for getting a seat she cheated Madhavi Amma, who is an old woman who live alone in the town and working as a house maid of a textiles owner,  Seetharama Iyer	47sec		She is sleepy, and tired. And cheated Madhavi Amma for seats and restrict the other girl to sit in the seat. She also went to quarrel with Madhavi Amma.	Nirupama is presented in the first half of the film as a person who is not at all interested in anything, who is physically weak and always sleepy. She cheated Madhavi Amma, for a seat; here the women are represented as physically weak, crooked and who are always fall in some kind of pit falls.
The dialogue between Nirupama and her woman colleague on behalf of the problems she faced in the interview and in the office from the superintendent.  They are talking rubbish against their other women colleagues.	22 sec	Colleague: Hey, after you signed and stepped out Rani (other colleague) sneaked in, I know right away she went only to get you in to trouble. Nirupama: Off course, she holds a Degree in Honesty and a PhD in Sincerity. I must open an account in Facebook just for her, and post of picture of her Rip Wan Winkle. Girija: No, don’t do all that, and then she’ll retaliate.	The women in office are of Sarees or Churidhar, who are not at all interested in their work but more interested in loose talks. They are not attending their clients in a proper manner, where the men are working hard and they also are been kind towards the client.	Here the women are represented as good for nothing stuff who are really, and only interested in talking. They are talkative even in their office time and lazy to do their work in the office. It also presents an idea that the women workers are always quarrelling each other for no reason.
Nirupama is talking to her male colleague who said her to attend the old man’s problem as soon as possible he is here for the same reason for thrice. Nirupama jumped up from her seat an came near to his seat	13 sec	Nirupama: What did you say your name was? Colleague: Jayachandran. Nirupama: Oh! Not the honest King Harischandra, I presume? You are new here, but for 14 years I have been vegetating here, hmmm!	Here Nirupama is working for the sake of nothing. She came to the office late and go from the office earlier. She is thinking only of the matter of her family, like, how they can go to Ireland, her daughter said her to came back soon, etc.	The women here are represented as crooked, who don’t help others and always selfish. Where the men are represented as honest, humble, punctual as well as goo in behaviour.
Nirupama is in beauty parlor to have hair colour to reduce her age. She is talking with the girl in the parlor and the girl complementing her with lots of sweet words. Nirupama feels excite and give answer in that manner.	15 sec.	Beautician: If you colour your hair, plus have a facial, 10 years will disappear. (Nirupama exclaimed and have hair colour and facial from the parlor)	Nirupama feel sad in her age and she is ready to do anything to reduce the age.	Here the women are represented as a person who are highly obsessed with beauty parlor and are not ready to accept their age.
Nirupama is running to television when she heard the music of a serial, she is actually running to the TV, while she was talking with her father- in- law and his friend.	10 sec		She is in a saree	Here the women are represented as serial lover, is ready to stop talking to the elder ones for seeing a serial.
Nirupama went to Television were her mother- in- law already reserved a place in the sofa. There came Lekshmi, the daughter of Nirupama, who angrily ask them about to reduce the volume, so she has study.	25 sec	Mother- in law: She tossed her bag when she came back from the school. She kicked shoes to the other side. I asked her ‘what happened’, she said ‘min your own business’. If you don’t pull her up, people will only blame you.	Both, Nirupama and her mother- in- law wear sarees and Lekshmi wears three fourth and top. Nirupama’s hairs front portion is coloured.	Here through the dialogue by the mother in law on Lekshmi’s behaviour argues that what should be agirl and what should not be a girl. Also pointed that if a girl who does something against so called patriarchal decorum of the society, the society will blame the mother.
The quarrel between Nirupama and her daughter, where  Lekshmi is talking about how is it going to destroy her ambition and dreams to go to Ireland became vain, only because of Nirupama.	32 sec	Nirupama: I forfeited my dreams, for realizing your dreams. Lekshmi: Oh! What a tremendous sacrifice! You stand apart from all mothers those who want to achieve will do so, come, what?  may you were laid back then, and now blaming it on me coolly. Nirupama: I am not blaming you to follow all your dreams I’ve given you enough freedom, but my mom didn’t raise me in that way. Girls are brought up protectively with lots of do’s and don’ts it was a different time at all together. If I had argued to my mom like you a whole broom stick would have landed on me.	Nirupama is in sad mood and likely to cry, and nostalgically comparing the difference in the mentality of society towards her and her daughter’s generations. Nirupama is shedding tears even in front of her daughter.	Here the women of mid generation are considered as physically and mentally weak and they always cry for a small reason.
Nirupama and her husband are in the kitchen. She is busy with works and Rajeev is eating vegetable salads in a small bowl. Nirupama is complaining about the attitude of Lekshmi towards her. Then changes the topic.	52 sec	Nirupama: You haven’t commented about my hair, dear. Rajeev: What happened to your hair? Nirupama: Didn’t you notice? Rajeev: No Nirupama: (action) How is it? Rajeev: (action) Ok! Looks good. Nirupama: simply, don’t flatter!! Rajeev: Really, it’s good -violet?  Nirupama: No -red gold Rajeev: You are looking good now. Nirupama: In case you don’t like it, I got remover from the parlor, thank you I am happy now. Parent’s day celebration at Lekshmi’s school tomorrow, I’ll go there and make head turn. Rajeev: give them a royal film.	Nirupama is in her saree, where her husband is in three fourth and t-shirt. Nirupama feels extreme happiness when her husband gives complement over her new hair colour.	Women are represented always as subordinate to the men, a woman cannot have a power to make a decision by themselves. Their freedom is bounded with the dominance of her husband. She colured her hair on her wish but she is ready to remove the colour if her husband doesn’t like it.
Rajeev getting angry on Nirupama, because she submitted an expired driving license in police, were Rajeev met with an accident. It may sometimes affect his journey to Ireland. Rajeev is in anger he is shouting on Nirupama on her non- responsibility	172  sec	Rajeev: Trying to take revenge on me by giving the expired license to police, because I’m going to Ireland without you Nirupama: Oh- no Rajeev: Don’t tell me you didn’t know. Nirupama: I swear I don’t know, after I got my license I haven’t even touched it. Rajeev: Don’t you verify it when you give it to me? Nirupama: I swear, I didn’t know a license can expire. Rajeev: Repeating the phase ‘I don’t know’ so often, you’re the only person in this world, I know, who lead a cushy life. I shouldn’t go abroad, I should just it whatever you serve and staring at your face and stagnate. Are you happy now? Nirupama: All these years, have I ever said ‘no’ to you? Or refused to do anything for you? When you told me about the Ireland trip, I said it won’t be nice to leave your aged parents here alone. Didn’t I suggest you should go alone? How can you say all these? Don’t I want us to lead a happy life? Rajeev: Of course! You should buy a more expensive saree than Rani. After office hours you must eat ‘paav bhaaji’ with girija. When you grumble all this to me, I must listen with a fake smile! I hve a long list of grievances. Nirupama: You don’t like me, right? Rajeev: Because of you, I don’t like myself. Leading a good life means something else to me. (Nirupama’s phone is ringing, she cut the phone) -gobble breakfast at morning 7o clock in a hurry burry, cook lunch in the morning and stuffed in to a box, at night eats four rotis and end the routine for the day. Looking forward to one Sunday should I die a life time? I want a nice house in a good area. I’d like our girl to grow up in a good atmosphere. We should have good neighbours. All other wives tell their spouses how to dress, if the announcement or voice modulation isn’t up to the mark. They give tips to improve their life. They discuss the future together. I must get back home on time. If I get delayed, I get 4 messages and 7 missed calls. And for what joy? To talk of onion price that has shot up, or slump in the price of tomato or to pay school fees. And this sums up my life! Nirupama: You are telling me all this after 14 years of being married. Did I do all this for my happiness? I feel it is my duty to take good care of my parent in laws, what I cooked yesterday, what I will cook tomorrow or today, is a big deal for me. For families on a shoe string budget, the price of vegetable will matters big time. If I add 1 extra chilly or 1 extra spoon of salt, your plate will fly like a Frisbee, no? Rajeev: Hhh! You want me to appoint a cook now? No need let us order from a hotel. Here after you need not cook. Nirupama: Are you being reasonable? I too have desires and dreams Rajeev: Oh! Dream? And what is your dream? Not the dream people get if they sleep, it is the vision of the future you feel when you shut your eyes. If you want such dreams you must have minimum qualifications. Such feelings cant happens to this face (Nirupama’s phone is ringing again) Rajeev: For God’s sake, pick it up (loudly and angrily)	Nirupama is in her saree and have a bindi on her forehead. Rajeev wears a shirt and jeans. Rajeev is shouting on Nirupama and scolding her for what she did on him. He is in a fear that he may lose his chance to go abroad for settle a better life. Nirupama is keeping quiet and mum during the conversation, she is talking in a manner that she is a slave and her duty is to hear what her master said.	Here in this scene Nirupama is represented as a woman who doesn’t know about the license and its procedure. She had a license for last 20 years and she doesn’t even look at it once. Here women are represented as ignorant nature. It also subordinating women as domestic workers and who always obeys their husbands. Where men are represented as responsible, have dreams, and who are living for the family.
Nirupama and her mother in law were in a textiles shop selecting saree. They are searching in the heap of sarees to choose one. Both are unsatisfied with the sarees and searching for another. A sales girl is helping them to choose a saree.	6 sec	Mother in law: Remember the saree worn by Vani in that Vani Rani serial	All women including sales girls wear saree. They are discussing about the saree they wants to choose. And comparing it with the saree worn by an actress in their favorite serial.	Women are portrayed in a manner that they are highly obsessed with serials and new cloths. They are always represented as borrowing the trends, in the serials into their life.
Nirupama is in Girija’s (colleague) house  talking about the departure of her husband and daughter to ireland	30 sec	Nirupama: I  Must go to Ireland. I don’t know how, but I have to go for the sake of my daughter. I have lived for my husband and daughter for the last 14 years, by telling everyone, my husband and daughter are in abroad. I can’t stay here by myself even for a single day, Girija. Parents generally ask ‘where did you go’ friends usually say ‘long time no see’, but you ask the wife ‘he got up late at 10am and didn’t even have breakfast. He said he’ll be back home for lunch after 2:00pm’. She will narrate by hours. Every wife is a witness to her husband. I also wanted to be that kind of a wife and bear testimony to my husband’s life, even if he didn’t like it. Lekshmi feels ashamed to call me her mom. He embarrassed to introduce me as his wife. I don’t know what I have done with my life. But I have been always true to everyone. My daughter shouldn’t be like me, she shouldn’t become another Nirupama, and my husband said that and took her away. I should’ve fallen dead when he said those words. Then what was Nirupama to him? What is she in that house today? I feel ashamed of myself.  I lost myself only because I thought my family was there for me. But now I’ve no one	Nirupama is in her saree and Girija is in churidhar. Nirupama is crying uncontrollably while talking of how she feels her husband and daughter leave over here and went to abroad. She is thinking about the incidents and the words that her husband said to her roughly. She is thinking about how she feels when he is with and crying.	In the scene Nirupama is representing as weak and she is crying because of her husband ignored her. By this scene the film maker is tries to portray how a good wife should be.   The stereotypical representations of a housewife who sacrifice her life for other at the end become alone. Here they are also tried to make a comparison between parents, friends and the wife, through that dialogue itself stereotyping that the good wife will be a testimony for her husband’s life. it also gives an image that even husband hate her wife she should do all work for him and husband should be in the position of God for the woman. A mother is living only for to see the growth of her child, and her life should be surrounded by the life of her husband and child.
Rajeev came back to India to take back Nirupama to Ireland	62 sec	Rajeev: Food and climate are major problems in Ireland. Lekshmi is having tough time. I don’t know how to take care of her. I feel bad about all this thought of employing a house keeper but that will cost easily 50000- 60000 and that too part time. Nirupama: Hm! Thanks. Rajeev: What? Nirupama: For being so frank, if you found a good house keeper, would you have applied for my visa? Rajeev: Oh! Madam has learned to retort! Nirupama: If wives keep looking thrice a day husbands will get bored. So wives now are forced to think differently. Before taking this decision you could have discussed it with me. Rajeev: Okay, what are you saying now? Nirupama: I’ve joined hands with many people boosting everyone’s confidence; I’ve taken up a big project. If I leave half way it won’t right, for sure. I need some time. Rajeev: (taking his phone and dialing) Hello Lekshmi, your mom isn’t keen on coming. -          I don’t know why, ask her your self  (to Nirupama) Here, you find thought to come over now, tell her yourself. (give phone to Nirupama) Nirupama: (on phone) Lekshmi first stop crying -okay -I will be with you - I know -I’ll come - I’ll come	Nirupama is in her saree, Rajeev worn a shirt and jeans pants. He in Bulgan moustache and colloured his hair with black dye. He is looking like a young man. He is describing the pathetic situation both father and daughter were facing in Ireland. He is acting and once in a while looking in to Nirupama’s face in order to catch her expression. Nirupama is not ready to go with him so he convinces her by talk about her daughter’s plight.  Nirupama looks like stronger and she talks about her inconvenience to her husband. But for a the sake of her girl she agreed to go with him	Here the women are represented as house keeper, who will do full time work without ant payment. Women are also represented as those who are sacrificing her life, dreams and everything for the sake of family. It also gives an impression that a woman cannot do anything without the help of her husband. Where she didn’t get a chance to go to Ireland, butt husband brings a visa for her.
In the last scene of the film where Nirupama was appreciated by the Honorable President of India for her contributions in the field of organic farming. After she met the president in President’s Bhavan with her daughter and husband. In that meeting President says to Rajeev that he can be proud of his wife.  After the meeting Nirupama called Susan (college friend) from the garden of President’s House.	40 sec	Nirupama: Nirupama Rajeev calling from Rashtrapathi Bhavan. Susan: Long journey my dear friend. Nirupama: You introduced me to myself and made me understand Delhi and Chennai are only 3 hours apart. Susan thanks, I owe this journey to you. I am going to Ireland for 1 month, and then my husband Lekshmi and I are planning a trip to Europe. Must see the world, right? Susan: Oh great I will also be in Europe at that time, we should meet up too. Nirupama: Oh! Definitely! Susan: Happy birth day Nirupama: Thank you Susan today is a day I can never forgot in my whole life! L have found my husband and daughter with respect intact, Susan	Nirupama wears a saree and looking bold and strong, walking through the lawn of  President’s House	Nirupama become happy not because of she met and spoke with President but her husband look on her with respect. Here it trying to say that the world of a woman is fixed to her husband’s life

22 Female Kottayam

Scene (description of visual content)	Dialogue (description of the words of the actors)	Physical appearance of the characters	My perception
In Tessa’s apartment in a hectic town in Banglore. Tessa and her friend is sitting in the room and waiting for other girl who is coming back with food. She came in to the room.	Friend2: My visa is ready. Tessa: Really Friend2: Yes, I have to go next month. Tessa: It’s good news. Friend2: Then I don’t heed for anything, called D K, and went for a shopping. I didn’t get those sandals. But (pulling out a sneakers from the packet she brought) how is these? Tessa: Great! Friend2: (to freind1) Hello how is this? (friend 1 is shaking her head as yes with a hand full of chicken in her mouth)	Both the girls are in modern dress. They are nurses in a famous hospital in the city. They are living independently, and earning for their food.	Here the woman (especially friend2) is considered as a bad character who is selling her body for money and visa. It also indirectly pointing towards the existing male dominance, where the woman herself didn’t get a visa. The women are also represented as they are ready to do anything fulfill their ambitions
Cyril and Tessa were sitting in a resort- bar, where Tessa offers drink to Cyril, on behalf of making her visa in a short span of time. They are talking about their family and about her job	Tessa: (childish) will there be a dooms day in 2012? Cyril: (With matured tone and witty expressions) I won’t say that, it will happen, but by December, there will be some changes. That we will have to know from our own experience. Tessa; So we have to finish the pending works at the earliest. Cyril: Correct.	Both Cyril and Tessa wore casuals and Tessa folded a stole around her neck. Tessa is childish, asking silly questions and giving funny answers to Cyril’s questions. She is like a kid who wants to know about the world, and curious about what Cyril is saying to her.	Here Tessa is represented as a fool girl who is asking funny questions and Cyril represents a wise man, who thinks clearly and gives a logical answer.
In night club during the party time. Tessa and Cyril sits in a corner of the pub and a guy in the pub disturb Tessa. Whenever he touches her she look at him but he doesn’t take it into consideration. But she didn’t respond him directly but she expresses it through her face and action. Cyril saw the happening, and follow the boy to toilet and hit and smash his nose		Tessa is in middy and top and Cyril wore T- shirt and pants. Tessa is irritated with the guy but she is keeping mum, but Cyril got angry	It says that woman are physically weak and are allow the other people to touch their body even if they are not comfortable with it, because they feel fear for act. But Cyril is physically and mentally fit who beaten up a man with his single hand.
Cyril is absconded from his house and hide in the farm house of Hegde, who is a landlord, because the guy he beaten from the pub is the son of a prominent person in the city. His workers are decided to punish Cyril back. Tessa is alone in the house,trying to call Cyril, but his phone is in out of coverage area. Door bell is ringed. Tessa opens the door. Hegde is there, he came in to the room and. Cyril is safe in his farm house. Hegde pulls her hand tightly and attacks her with flower pot, iron stick, plate, and some heavy materials and forcefully have sex on her.	Hegde: Can I have sex with you? Tessa: Sir? Hegde: Can I have sex with you? Tessa: What? Hegde: Can I have sex with you?	Tessa is in her nurse uniform, and she look like frightened, she is thinking about what happened to Cyril and feel sad about him. Tessa is trying to escape from the hand of Hegde, and ran away from him but he followed her and tries to impose himself over her.	Here women are represented as they are bothered about all things. They don’t have any mental strength as well as physical strength.
Zubaitha and Tessa are talking about their life and how they came to there. They are sitting in the courtyard of a female ward of jail.	Zubaitha: Do you know the story of Pankajam. Tessa: No! Zubaitha: She has been here for the past 8 years. Her husband is a drunkard, who raped his own daughter after drunk. Without suffering that she killed him, give poison to daughter and she hang herself. But some scoundrels saved her and put in the jail on behalf of her husband’s and daughter’s murder. Because of hanging she lost her speaking capacity, she can’t speak anymore	Zubaitha and Tessa is in their jail uniform with number imprinted in the shirt. They are having a bold look.	Here the women are classified as a tool for sexual object.  They are represented as weak and no power to resist the evils

   



























































































CONCLUSION

            The films which the researcher taken for study shows women as astrong character, who are working and earning, which adhere to the general belief on the status of women in Kerala society, where women are getting better socio, political as well as gender status this thing is reflected in contemporary films, as the researcher has observed while doing the research.

            Yet, somehow a patriarchic point of view is creeps in to these films sometimes, where the main female character ask for help or depend on male protagonist to achieve a goal, these films are trying to say that the women’s identity is always attached to the male members in her life.

            The film maker failed to reflect the actual capacity of a woman who is stand alone and make a group and revolutionized the organic farming techniques. Here Nirupama was shown as an ideal woman who sacrifices her life for the entire family. Even after she is appreciated by President of India, she is happy that her husband feels proud of her.

            Tessa is cheated by a pharmacy owner when she was in school, and then cheated by Cyril this thing conveys that women are always falling for love, but don’t think about the future.

            In both the film female characters are shown as ignorant and childish. They are not at all knowledgeable. It’s portray women as subordinate in the domestic field and make them only a tool for food making and give birth to the child.

FUTURE SCOPE AND LIMITATION

        This study does have some limitations, due to the fact that the multiple researchers were not involved in the coding process for cross checking. The result of this content analysis is supported the findings of previous research on women representation in film.

Here the researcher choose only two films according to the time period, genre and success in the theatre, and done a qualitative content analysis method which may sometimes lead to certain amount of biasness.