What is common to Jyothika, Samantha, Nayanthara, Hansika, Kajal Agarwal, Varalaxmi and Trisha? They all started as typical Tamil heroines, who ran around trees romancing the heroes. But, today, they are part of women-centric movies and they have a say in the script.
“Even during the days of MGR and Sivaji, actresses like Savithri, Padmini, Saroja Devi, Jayalalithaa and K R Vijaya had a part to play in Tamil cinema. However in late 60s, the influence of Bollywood films and craze for movies around angry young man made sure women characters didn’t get enough prominence. Cinema became too patriarchical,” he explained.
Savithri, an activist, says, “From the time when even self-proclaimed feminist films needed to be propped up by famous male actors and elaborate back stories, Tamil cinema has come a long way today. ‘Magalir Mattum’ featured Jyothika as the heroine who stress the need to treat women with respect and importance. Nayanthara as Madhivadhani, an IAS officer in ‘Aramm’, stands up for the people, takes on a powerful mafia, commands a police force and makes difficult decisions. ‘Aruvi’ was about a young girl who takes revenge on the world for ill-treatment, estrangement, sexual violence and disparagement.
Be it a live-in relationship, unsatisfied married life or quarrel between a couple, today’s women on screen can have their say – and can say it aloud.”
“We need more Balachanders and Mani Ratnams. Now that movies starring women in the lead command good business at the box office and television channels portray them as villains within families, films glorifying women is the need of the hour,” says Subha, a parent and a film enthusiast. Hope Kollywood is listening!FLOORED
‘Paris Paris’
‘Imaikka Nodigal’
‘Sakthi’
‘U Turn’
