From Suffering to Resilience: Portrayal of Widowhood in Tamil Cinema (2010-2024)

Abstract

This study examines the portrayal of widowhood in eight Tamil films released between 2010 and 2024: Vaanam (2011), Aarohanam (2012), Neerparavai (2012), Amma Kanakku (2016), Kanni Madam (2020), Vaazhai (2023), Jama (2024), and Pechi (2024). Employing interpretive film analysis, semiotic reading, thematic analysis, and socio-cultural contextualisation, the research traces a marked evolution from representations of sanctified suffering and compulsory asexuality to narratives of legitimate grief, economic agency, restored desire, redefined motherhood, and intersectional critique. Findings reveal that contemporary Tamil cinema has systematically dismantled traditional Brahminical widowhood norms while responding to rising female autonomy, caste consciousness, and the influence of OTT platforms in Tamil society. Despite these advances, significant gaps persist in the representation of elderly, queer, Muslim, Christian, and voluntarily single widows. The study concludes that Tamil cinema has played a transformative role in re-humanising widowed women, yet must embrace greater diversity to complete this cultural project.