(UN)Imagining Incest: Depictions of Familial Sexual Trauma in Select Malayalam Films

Anagha A.*, Yoosaph A. K.**
*-** Department of English and Centre for Research, Government College Mokeri, Kozhikode, India.
Periodicity:January - April'2025
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jhss.5.1.21235

Abstract

The stigma associated with intra-familial sexual assault has been so enormous that such issues are largely unrepresented in artistic creations. There have been only a handful of films in the Malayalam movie industry that break the silence surrounding abuse within the family context. The present paper analyses the depictions of incestuous abuse in select Malayalam films. It focuses on representations of father-daughter incest, the stark reality of intra-familial sexual abuse, and the trauma that ensues from such incidents that have not been dealt with the seriousness that it deserves. The young victims of such abuse in society hardly find characters in films with whom they can identify, who share their painful stories of shame and insecurity, furthering their feelings of isolation as they believe that the situation they en-counter has no counterparts. Films, a widely popular entertainment medium, play a crucial role in the value formation of a society. Hence, it is imperative to criticize and counter the misogynistic patterns inherent in depictions of sexual abuse. Realistic and positive portrayals of survivors, their trauma, and agency can significantly alter the societal perceptions of such issues.

Keywords

Father-daughter incest, Malayalam Films, Sexual Trauma, Social Stigma.

How to Cite this Article?

Anagha, A., and Yoosaph, A. K. (2025). (UN)Imagining Incest: Depictions of Familial Sexual Trauma in Select Malayalam Films.i-manager’s Journal on Humanities & Social Sciences, 5(1), 24-31. https://doi.org/10.26634/jhss.5.1.21235

References

[3]. Butler, S. (1996). Conspiracy of Silence: The Trauma of Incest. Volcano Press.
[4]. Champagne, R., & Butterfield, R. C. (1996). The Politics of Survivorship: Incest, Women's Literature, and Feminist Theory. NYU Press.
[6]. Herman, J. L. (2015). Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence-From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror. Hachette UK.
[7]. Lucifer. Directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran. Aashirvad Cinemas, 2019.
[8]. Manjupoloru Penkutti. Directed by Kamal. Dream Team Productions, 2004.
[9]. Namukku Parkkan Munthirithoppukal. Directed by P Padmarajan, Ragam Movies, 1986.
[10]. Pillai, M. T. (2010). Women in Malayalam Cinema: Naturalising Gender Hierarchies. Orient BlackSwan.
[11]. Russell, D. E. (1986). The Secret Trauma: Incest in the Lives of Girls and Women, Rev. Basic Books.
[12]. Tal, K. (1996). Worlds of Hurt: Reading the Literatures of Trauma. Cambridge University Press.
[13]. Walker, J. (2023). Trauma Cinema: Documenting Incest and the Holocaust. University of California Press.
[14]. Zachariyayde Garbinikal. Directed by Aneesh Anwar, Friday Film House, 2013.
If you have access to this article please login to view the article or kindly login to purchase the article

Purchase Instant Access

Single Article

North Americas,UK,
Middle East,Europe
India Rest of world
USD EUR INR USD-ROW
Pdf 35 35 200 20
Online 15 15 200 15
Pdf & Online 35 35 400 25

Options for accessing this content:
  • If you would like institutional access to this content, please recommend the title to your librarian.
    Library Recommendation Form
  • If you already have i-manager's user account: Login above and proceed to purchase the article.
  • New Users: Please register, then proceed to purchase the article.