From the margins to the mainstream: how films are elevating marginalised voices Premium

The movies not only highlight the struggles and aspirations of oppressed groups but also offer mainstream appeal, paving the way for greater inclusivity in Indian cinema.

The recently released three mainstream films Thangalaan, Vaazhai (Tamil), and Veda (Hindi) are of historic significance. Away from the conventional trends of populist flicks, which often celebrate the cultural and political domination of the social elites, these films revolve around the concerns and dreams of socially marginalised groups. By introducing powerful Dalit protagonists, these films advance a nascent but impressive journey of Dalit cinema, registering a claim for greater democratisation in the Indian film industry.

A visible domination of a peculiar brand of films — often called the ‘masala entertainments’ — and filmmakers, mainly the rich social elites, have made Indian cinema a sphere that lacks democratic credentials. While entertainment-centric popular cinema is necessary for sustaining the film industry, its core centrality for profit and entertainment has marginalised the ethical concerns around which any art form shall be conceptualised. For example, fame, profits, and privileges are appropriated by the niche social elite junta, making the marginalised social groups a dormant spectators of cinematic magic. Ironically, the scant presence of artists and filmmakers from vulnerable social groups such as Dalits, Adivasis, and Other Backward Castes, is not seen as an unhealthy convention in the film fraternity.

In recent years, the Dalit cinema genre tried to bring some reforms to the conventional routine of popular Indian cinema. The impetus for this change has been driven largely by the regional film industry, especially the Marathi and Tamil cinema, which offers exceptionally brilliant artwork that caters to the interests and concerns of marginalised social groups, and quality entertainment to the general audience. Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry (2013), Sairat (2016), and Naal (2018) set impressive examples of films that are both socially sensitive and commercially successful. Later Marathi films like Uchalya (2015), Jayanti (2021), Kasturi (2019), Zollywood (2022), Aatmapamphlet (2023), etc. kept the momentum on, building a crucial dialogue on cinema’s responsibility in offering socially responsible films. However, it is the Tamil filmmakers who have created a strong stir to establish this genre as a significant commercial model.

Pa Ranjith’s earlier successful films — Madras, Kala, and Kabali — have advanced the idea of a new Dalit hero. Big film stars like Rajinikanth are roped in to tell stories about the crises in Dalit lives, their resilience, and heroic attributes. This success was further cultivated creatively by brilliant filmmakers, especially Mari Selvaraj (Karnan, 2021 and Pariyerum Perumal, 2018) and Vetrimaaran (Asuran, 2019 and Viduthalai, 2023), substantiating the arrival of ‘Dalit genre’ in Indian cinema. By offering nuanced Dalit characters, bestowed with mainstream heroic credentials (like Rajanikant’s character in Kabali, Dhanush in Karnan, and Udhayanidhi in Maamannan), it breaks the conventional ‘victim’ stereotypes attached to the representation of Dalit characters on screen.

The Dalit genre in Tamil and Marathi cinema thus created a strong rupture, influencing the Hindi film industry to take its cognisance. As a response, Bollywood has also supplemented this churning by offering powerful Dalit characters in earlier films like Masaan (2015), Manjhi-the Mountain Man (2015), and recently Jhund (2022), Shamshera (2022), Bheed (2023), and now Veda (2024). Interestingly, while this emerging Dalit genre sensitively showcases the claims and desires of the marginalised communities, these films also ensure quality entertainment with the influx of dance, music, drama, and action sequences.

This genre thus offers a possibility that the Dalit character may also emerge as a ‘mainstream hero’, their stories can be inspirational tales and the artists belonging to the Dalit-Bahujan strata may gain mainstream fame. The recent success and critical acclaim of Thangalaan and Vaazhai suggest that this genre is here to stay.

Within the intellectual discussions on Indian cinema, the popular Hindi cinema has not received a respectable appreciation. It is often seen as a profit-seeking industry that creates hyper-sensational fiction to bewitch the audience, taking them away from engaging with crucial social and political concerns.