This assertion of identity also led to an acceptance of caste pride among certain sections. This, he says, was because of certain political developments like the Mandal Commission which had been set up in 1979 to bring in reservation quota on the basis of caste. Speaking about such glorified representations in the documentary, Stalin Rajangam, writer and lecturer, American College, Madurai*, says that by the '90s, communities and caste groups that had been classified as 'backward' came to assert themselves politically and claim their identities. The Vijaykanth film Chinna Gounder has a character praising the discerning sense of the Gounders and how the people give more importance to the Chinna Gounder's words than a court of law.Īn interesting documentary The Invisible Other: Caste in Tamil Cinema produced, directed and edited by Suresh ET in 2014 throws light on how such representations have become celebrated in the Tamil film industry. Other dominant caste groups like the Gounders have also been glorified in films. The man then presses the sand on which Rajinikanth's character has walked, to his forehead. In the Rajinikanth film Yejaman, the hero who comes from a dominant caste group is venerated by the people around him to the extent that one of them says nobody even dares to walk in his footprints. Kamal's Virumandi (initially named Sandiyar) also had several instances of caste glorification, including a jallikattu scene that established the actor's masculinity and loyalty to his roots. Thus, as early as this, we see the imbrication of cinematic themes with popular forms of action and representation." Due to popular pressure, however, it was later restored (Srinivas and Kaali 1998:225). Consequently the sword was removed and placed behind the hoarding for a while.
During the annual “guru puja” (leader worship-processions and events to mark the anniversary of his birth), when followers of Thevar shut down the city to pay respects to and garland the statue, objections were raised against the cut-out and its glorification of violence. More significantly still-as though to reinforce the association between life and art-the cut-out was positioned so that it faced the huge statue of Muthuramalinga Thevar in the heart of the city. In Madurai, which has a stronger visual culture than other cities in Tamil Nadu, a 40-foot cut-out was installed showing the Thevar Magan hero brandishing an extra-large sword. The advertising for the film reinforced the association between caste and violence. "The martial nature of Thevars is to the fore in Thevar Magan where signs, weapons and dialogue all speak to the caste’s dominance.
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