본문 바로가기
  • Home

Examining Hegemony, Ideology, and Class in Mani Ratnam’s Raavanan (2010)

  • SUVANNABHUMI
  • Abbr : SVN
  • 2023, 15(1), pp.181-203
  • DOI : 10.22801/svn.2023.15.1.181
  • Publisher : Korea Institute for ASEAN Studies
  • Research Area : Social Science > Area Studies > Southeast Asia
  • Received : March 22, 2022
  • Accepted : January 17, 2023
  • Published : January 31, 2023

Ilaiya Barathi Panneerselvam 1 Adrian Lee Yuen Beng 2

1Han Chiang University College of Communication
2Sunway University

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Cultures often adopt the good versus evil dichotomy within their narratives of religious texts, aural anecdotes, and cultural mythologies. The Ramayana narrates a divine story that transcends time of the battle between the forces of good and evil, between Prince Rama and Ravana. Numerously adapted through time, the Ramayana is today told through moving visuals and has been adapted by Mani Ratnam through Raavanan (2010). Raavanan is adapted to the premise of hero versus villain using the good versus evil premise as Dev Prakash (Rama) searches to rescue his wife Raagini (Sita), who is abducted by Veeraiya (Ravana). The film, however, departs from the Ramayana as Raavanan is told through the perspective of Veeraiya. In the film, Veeraiya is portrayed as a flawed anti-hero who battles against injustice instead of being the antagonist. He seeks revenge for his sister and stands up against the oppression of his tribe. In this battle, he questions ideological understandings of justice and morality that have been conventionally interpellated within society. This paper discusses how Mani Ratnam, through the film Raavanan, contests hegemony, ideology, and class differences within modern cinema and society alongside the more significant question surrounding India's sociocultural conditions.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.