Investigation of Working Mother Representation in Tamil Cinema

Gender and Cinema

According to the report given by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, women's contribution significantly improved from 32.8% in 2022 to 37.0% in 2023 (PIB, 2023). The Government consistently exerts efforts to ensure women’s empowerment in socio-economic and political development through multiple initiatives (PIB, 2023). While women's participation in working labor is increasing, they also continue doing their role at home in caring for the family, proving not just to be good mothers but better mothers (Jayita Poduval, Jan-Dec, 2009 7(1)). From this, it is clear that women's participation in labor is almost equivalent to men’s. Yet movies are narrated as if men are pivotal in society and women are just subordinates. Especially when depicting a mother's role, she is mostly portrayed as a non-working mother, caring for the family alone and having nothing to do outside society. Cinema being only a century art form has engulfed all other art forms surpassing the popularity of all other centuries-old art forms. People are emotionally attached and consume cinema in some form in everyday life. The impact of cinema on society is undeniable. The arrival of cinema in India is rooted in three main cities, Bombay (Mumbai), Kalcutta, and Madras (Chennai). Though Indian cinema is majorly seen through the lenses of Bollywood southern India collective production that happens to hold Chennai as the base is much higher in number than Bollywood films (Velayutham, 2008). Especially Tamil cinema holds a great legacy of extending its wings into Tamilnadu politics giving six chief ministers who have taken root from cinema to politics. From this, it is clear that cinema directly influences human and cultural values to a greater extent, which is on par with any other region of this world. With this strong view, this research paper intends to explore women in Tamil cinema focusing on working mother representation. Cinema is crucial in raising awareness of women's empowerment and initiating conversations on gender equality (Prince Prasad, 2023 8(7)). Many research studies unveil the augmented awareness of women-related issues like violence against women, toxic relationships she undergoes, working rights, women's health, and social discrimination are being addressed in movies. However, very few researches are available on working mothers' portrayal in movies. This research identifies the movies that represent the working mother role and the importance given in the films to working mother characters. This research finds the perspectives of male audiences towards placing a working mother character in movies. This research extends to look into the notion of the state of freedom of expression levied in the making of cinema.

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