Gender, Identity, and Dalit Subjectivities in the Select Films of Pa. Ranjith: Towards Inclusive Representation

सार

The aim of the paper is to understand the importance of Gender roles in the movies directed by Pa. Ranjith. The paper examines the intersection of gender with caste, class, power & identity. While his work is widely recognized for its engagement with Dalit identity and resistance, this study highlights the nuanced portrayals of gender dynamics across films such as Kabali, Kaala, and Sarpatta Parambarai. The paper contends that male protagonists are portrayed not as hyper-dominant figures typical of mainstream Tamil cinema (Kollywood), but as characters defined by vulnerability, emotional complexity, and a sense of collective responsibility. The film presents female characters as morally grounded and politically conscious figures shaping the narrative through their agency that remains unevenly developed. The study adopts Sharmila Rege's Dalit feminist framework to unveil the nexus of caste, power, and social hierarchy in the film. Methodologically, the study undertakes a close textual analysis of select films, focusing on narrative structure, character development, dialogue, and visual representation to assess how gender identities are articulated. Situating gender within the specificity of caste-based oppression, the framework enables a culturally grounded analysis that transcends universalized feminist perspectives and provides a critical lens to interrogate the representation and narrative positioning of female characters. Through this approach, the study explores how Pa. Ranjith’s film reconfigures dominant gender norms, contributing to alternative, socially rooted portrayals of gender and enriching discourses on caste, identity, and representation in contemporary Tamil cinema.