Remapping The Boundaries: Emergence Of Local Color Realism In Malayalam Cinema

Abstract

The paper entitled Remapping the Boundaries: Emergence of Local Color Realism in Malayalam Cinema is an enquiry into the recent trend of local color seen in Malayalam films. Malayalam film industry has always been credited for its realistic plot and experimental trends. Recent films shows a shift from the mainstream high-culture to the local, ordinary popular culture. Common people, common man’s language and customs becomes the main plot of the film. Local color realism appeared in the American literature after the Civil War years which focused on a particular region or locale and its specific particularities. This trend of local color realism is recently seen in the use of various districts of Kerala as a major element and thematic background to the story. The use of topography and dialects particular to the region contributes to the celebration of diversities.