Vigilantism and the pleasures of masquerade : the female spectators of vijayasanthi films

Document Type

Book chapter

Source Publication

City flicks : cinema, urban worlds and modernities in India and beyond

Publication Date

1-1-2002

First Page

185

Last Page

198

Publisher

International Development Studies, Roskilde University

Abstract

My interest in Vijayasanthi dates back to discussions over the last decade in women’s groups about film and media, to our embarrassment about weepy women, anger against the “degradation” of female bodies, and our discontent regarding female stereotypes. Our reaction was to seek positive images of women, to read for character and plot, which would “empower” women viewers. Our attention was drawn to the popularity of the Vijayasanthi figure, and we wondered if our applause for a woman beating up the villains would be wholly unqualified. We noticed that both feminist and non-feminist women spectators for different reasons felt some discomfort at watching Vijayasanthi, and were confused about the compulsion to celebrate vigilantism. My paper is an attempt at exploring the reasons for that discomfort (did it have to do with the replication of male violence, or with the fluidity of sexual identity in the films?). Are characters and plot the most interesting aspects of these films? Or would a focus on the problems of spectatorship yield a more nuanced reading of our admittedly ambivalent responses?

Print ISSN

09072829

Publisher Statement

Copyright © Roskilde University

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Additional Information

Roskilde Universitscenter. International Development Studies. Occasional Paper, 22

ISBN of the source publication: 9788773495469

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Niranjana, T. (2002). Vigilantism and the pleasures of masquerade: The female spectators of vijayasanthi films. In P. Kaarsholm (Ed.), City flicks: Cinema, urban worlds and modernities in India and beyond (pp. 185-198). Roskilde: International Development Studies, Roskilde University.

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