Cinematic renditions of the subaltern: the role of aestheticization in the post-2000s Tamil commercial films

The paper traces the renewed interest in commercial films in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, beginning from the mid-2010s, to represent themes pertaining to the subaltern life and experiences. The paper traces a trend pioneered by commercial films of the filmmakers such as Vetrimaaran, Pa. Ranjith, T.J. Gnanavel and Maari Selvaraaj—which primarily constitute the growing corpus of films whose narratives are centred on anti-caste struggles and Dalit politics. The paper critiques two significant films among the corpus which endorse subaltern representation: Asuran (Demon) (2019), directed by Vetrimaaran, and Jai Bhim (Hail Bhim), directed by T. J. Gnanavel (2021). Here, it is pertinent to understand whether these films were successful in portraying the realities of the subaltern vis-a-vis their advocacy of the subaltern cause. The lens of aestheticization has been employed to examine the degree to which the plight of the subaltern has been effectively translated into the narrative of commercial films. The paper relies on Walter Benjamin’s idea of the ‘aestheticization of politics’ in its critique of aestheticization, a crucial practice in commercial filmmaking meant to enhance the experience of art by the masses in a modern capitalist society. The paper argues that the strategy of aestheticization in the selected films systematically diminishes the significance of the subaltern hero, reconfiguring the character in line with the conventions of a typical commercial film hero.