Periyar Visual Theory

Periyar Visual Theory: Demand, Dispute and Disposition of Dravidian Cinema

Volume 1, Issue 3 | July 2021 - September 2021

(Dr.) Subramanian Natesan

Assistant Professor at the Dept. of Visual Communication, Hindusthan College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

S, Natesan. 2021. “Periyar Visual Theory: Demand, Dispute and Disposition of Dravidian Cinema”. Dravida Pozhil – Journal of Dravidian Studies 1 (3): 9 - 23

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This research examines the impact of cinema, in the Indian subcontinent, especially in the Dravidian society. It is a two-phased qualitative content analysis using the methodology of grounded theory, through the interpretation of structuralism. Phase-I is Theorization: Conceptualizing Periyar's views on cinema and Phase-II is Classification: Finding the roots of the term ‘Dravidian Cinema’. The first phase analyzes the demand of the ‘Self-Respect’ movement in the cinema of 1929, and to develop ‘Periyar Visual Theory’ on the Aryan dominated visual culture, through the depth of his words coined in his research article in 1944. The second phase examines the ‘Criticisms’ set by the bourgeois and people at power, on the works of Periyar's followers C.N.Annadurai and M.Karunanidhi, such as Velaikkari (1949) and Parasakthi (1952), thereby attempting to determine the classification within Tamil cinema.

(Dr.) Subramanian Natesan is an Assistant Professor at the Dept. of Visual Communication, Hindusthan College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. He graduated in Visual Communication and Mass Communication and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in film studies at the Bharathiar University. He has also taught at the GDR College of Science, Coimbatore.

Subramanian has hands-on industrial experience as a layout artist at many Offset institutions, FM Radio & Television (Doordarshan Kendra, Coimbatore). He is also a Freelance Writer, TV News Reader, Graphic Designer and Portrait Photographer. He is a resource person for Visual Art, Graphic Production, and Film Aesthetics. He is also an actor and director of street plays and a folk singer for albums on social awareness programs.

Subramanian has been awarded the DIGI GURU award (Top Ten Digital Media Teachers at the National Level) by the ICT and Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

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