Quick viewing(Text Mode)

An Analysis of the Star Image Construction of Malayalam Actress Sheela

An Analysis of the Star Image Construction of Malayalam Actress Sheela

View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE

provided by International Research Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (IRJMS) INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Vol. 2, Issue 9, September, 2016 ISSN (Online): 2454-8499 Impact Factor: 1.3599(GIF), 0.679(IIFS)

FEMALE STARDOM: AN ANALYSIS OF THE STAR IMAGE CONSTRUCTION OF ACTRESS

1Ms. SEENA J., 2Dr. D NIVEDHITHA 1Doctoral Research Scholar, 2Associate Professor & Head Department of Electronic Media & Mass Communication Pondicherry University, Pondicherry ABSTRACT: The notion of Stardom in the film field dates back its origin from the Hollywood cinemas and gradually shifted to and later to regional cinemas. Star value attracts the financial backing for a movie. Broadly speaking the idea of stardom was predominantly linked to male star. If it comes to female stars the concept of stardom is poles apart. Female stars in the industry were taken granted for the purpose of giving the audience a human sense of beauty and eroticism. This paper is an analysis of the stardom of the yesteryear Malayalam actress Sheela who ruled the Malayalam film industry constantly for 23 years, which is a rare concept in the regional cinema world. She has surpassed the glory of superstardom with 475 films in her credit; a record may be unfeasible for any prevailing actress to outshine. She began her acting career in 1965 and up to 1985 she was active in the limelight of the industry handling strong character roles. After a break of 18 years she returned to celluloid in 2003. Keywords: Charisma, , Sheela, Star image, Star Value, Female Stardom, Male Stardom.

STARS AND STARDOM

“I use stars to make my cinema more effective ...... My films are better with stars than without”. (Jean - Pierre Melville)

The term stars refer to a conspicuous effect on this system. It is significant to prodigy wherein occurs a shift in status or observe that the life span of some stars position of many actors or actresses totally depends on his fate and till the time achieving mass popularity either suddenly a star is competent to attract audience with the release of one film, in which he or otherwise, they become an unsolicited she acted, or gradually with a number of figure for any moving picture because the movies. Stardom is measured in terms of newcomer very frequently replaces the his or her presence and the number of existing ones. But, even then the miracle films or succession of films winning of star - tantrum has survived for long and success at the box office. The greater is the some of the stars of the early period success of the films, the more important continue to prevail over the silver screen becomes the stars charging more and more (Arora, 2004). for his or her presence in some of the films (Morgin, 1961). More than the media depiction stardom is a vibrant course of production activity of The star system, in fact, has remained from the media industries and the media texts the daylights of the silent era of Indian that amounts to the star images and cinema but, with the passing of time, the viewers’ reaction. The interplay between system became more and more stable, the star screen images and off-screen especially during the 1940’s when the images act as an important technique for presence of black money created its direct the production of the star as a real life

1st September, 2016 Page 1 Website: www.irjms.in Email: [email protected], [email protected] INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Vol. 2, Issue 9, September, 2016 ISSN (Online): 2454-8499 Impact Factor: 1.3599(GIF), 0.679(IIFS)

figure which is crucial to our The Malayalam cinema unlike other understanding of popular cinema as it is of regional cinema has its own flavour with stardom (Pandian, 1992). film usually made on shoe – string budget. Besides, “the intellectual climate of the Stars are so influential in the industry that lively awareness of the educate middle they have the power to control the class also helped in conditioning the economic feasibility of the entire film preference of the audience, who world. Richard Dyer says that the concept apparently, does not have much use for of star phenomenon relies fully upon escapist fantasies or vulgar display of collapsing the difference linking the star as repressed sex on screen. It is noteworthy an individual and the star as a performer. that the concept of romantic hero does not Audiences invest a lot in cinema so find a place in the earlier Malayalam engagement with movies has turned out to cinemas. Generally, the main characters of be a public and social activity (Metz, that time were workers, rickshaw pullers, 1982). Stars are the vital element of all the fisherman or educated youth in search of major movie industry and play a crucial jobs. All time popular actors of Malayalam role in the production, distribution and cinema , and marketing. For producers, a star is a raw have rudeness in looks and bearing material - a talent capable of producing unthinkable in stars of or other steady and worthy performances. With an regional cinema” (Arora, 2004, p.177). eye to capitalize the audience expectations The Malayalam cinema, inspite of having and to further develop the star’s growing a small market, with low budget films and reputation writers, directors and producers literate, intellectual audience, has led to occasionally design projects with a booming of an artistic, realistic, off beat particular leading light in mind (Dyer & cinema rooted in this region. It has also McDonald, 1998). The star vehicles, been one of the leading contributors to the according to Richard Dyer, showcases that Indian new cinema (Arora, 2004). star’s persona and thus tell us that movies of a specific star have typical Though Malayalam cinema shares some characteristics which result from the films' qualities with other regional movie houses effort to hint the aura of the star. in , ’s precise socio-political status, which stands distant from the rest According to Dyer ‘charisma’ is one that of the country, has made a payment for the key quality in the film stardom, which making of a film culture that is quite clear- highlights, stars as being special and set cut. Malayalam cinema has played a prime apart them from other audience members part in imagining the Malayali1 as no other investing them with obvious magical traits. art form might possibly possess. It Mary Ann Doane’s response in ‘Film and presented a new terminology for the the masquerade: Theorising the female to stand for himself/herself in spectator’ suggests that viewers of both one which seems like more secular and gender indulge in some sort of role play independent than the languages of all while they view movies. This allows for the opportunity that members of the audience identify with stars on screen 1 across gender lines (Doane, 1982, pp: 74- Kerala (Keralam), the south-west region 87). state of India on the Malabar Coast was formed on 01 November, 1956. is the term attributed to the native speakers of Malayalam language. 1st September, 2016 Page 2 Website: www.irjms.in Email: [email protected], [email protected] INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Vol. 2, Issue 9, September, 2016 ISSN (Online): 2454-8499 Impact Factor: 1.3599(GIF), 0.679(IIFS)

earlier discourses in the artistic fields magnificence. She perfected each and (Pillai, 2010). every character that came to her both in commercial and artistic value movies. She To state clearly, “actor” is not a synonym was the unchallenged queen of Malayalam for a “star”. Actors perform characters on- film industry who was called as “Sheela screen and a versatile actor generates Amma” by the industry with veneration. composite characters. But a star’s Sheela, one of the most successful female existence goes beyond the performance. A stars in the history of the Malayalam star not only makes the character credible, cinema as well as the Indian cinema was at but also possesses an overtly recognized her zenith as the main lead heroine in charisma that entices spectators to the film almost all the movies released during the and stay behind in the viewer’s mind even period of 1962-1985. Sheela absolutely after they move from the theatre. While the ruled the silver screen for 23 years as the stars may come by this charisma naturally, leading female lead. Undoubtedly she is in largely studio heads, talent agencies, capable to be called both as a talented publicity outlet and the stars themselves actor and a star; who created her own cautiously endorse the public’s esteem domain by her acting proficiency. Sheela’s (Rosen, 1981). star persona of good, strong, independent women is most obviously shaped by a Superstars are those who makes substantial canon of movies. She constantly looked fame and achievement in their field and for novelty in characters and was not ready whose pay packet are greater than the to curb in enchanting roles. She always income of their competitors. Superstardom wanted to be the queen of the industry by in art is mainly by two factors: a hierarchy her splendid performance and she of talent and the flawless or almost ideal inhabited the celluloid as an emperor reproducibility of an art (Rosen, 1981). (Gopalakrishnan, 2012, pp. 79-83). Moshe Adler (1985) describes a process for the emergence of a star, but in this GLIMPSES TO SHEELA’S course the star comes to light among the STARDOM several talented artists. Here the emergence of the star happens from a Sheela, the celluloid queen of Malayalam chance event. Consumers opt for an artist cinema has acted in almost all the South at chance once they add a new face to their Indian Languages (Tamil, Telugu, consumption basket and merely by good and Malayalam). She was fortune one of these performers end up fortunate to share screen with all with more patrons than the rest. This prominent superstars like Prem Nazir, opening benefit makes the fluky performer Sathyan (Manuel Sathyaneshan), Madhu more popular. As consumers have a (Madhavan Nair), (Krishnan Nair), preference for popular artists, others will Hassan, Kanth etc. Sheela also have an inclination towards the artist was the first leading actress of the and thus an initial advantage can thus Malayalam cinema who acted in more than snowball into superstardom (Adler, 1985). 475 films amid the period of 1962 to 1985. Subsequent to a gap of 18 years2, in 2003 For Malayali and for Malayalam cinema Sheela, the legendary actress from South 2 In 1985 at the peak of the career Sheela India (Kerala) was an ultimate name of an actress who has captivated generations for took a gap from acting to raise his only son nearly 23 years with her flawless style and George.

1st September, 2016 Page 3 Website: www.irjms.in Email: [email protected], [email protected] INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Vol. 2, Issue 9, September, 2016 ISSN (Online): 2454-8499 Impact Factor: 1.3599(GIF), 0.679(IIFS)

Sheela came back to the silver screen by Malayalam cinema when she was offered playing a central role in the film lead role in Bhagyajathakam. After Manassinakkare directed by Sathyan , majority of the Tamil movies Anthikad. offered glamorous sexy roles intending to objectify her body. But Malayalam film Sheela, along with evergreen actor Prem industry greeted her with strong character Nazir have the Guinness book record of roles which impelled her to plump for a acting the largest number of movies (107) lingering career in Malayalam movies together successively as hero and heroine. (narrated by Sheela in an interview aired in The majority of her films with Prem Nazir Kairali Channel4). were unbeaten at the box office having sober and sentimental stories with Stars are not at all known for their harmonious songs and sequences. She has performances in movies, but also known acquired an archetypal momentous way of for the off-screen image that circulates in dialogue presentation and vibrant voice several media texts such as gossips, quality to amaze the audience and she had promotional articles, and interviews dubbed for her entire movies. Sheela (Naremore, 1998, p.157). The star images who had a lower middle class upbringing were created purposeful so the audiences started her career at the age of 13 to can identify with a star and this image sustain her family going through hard gives the star a unique identity thus times due to the sudden demise of her enabled the studios to distinguish and father, who was a railway employee. market their films through stars. With their Sheela's career as an actress set in motion beauty, affluence and lifestyle stars as a replacement in a drama structured by embodies the glamour and charm of the the railway employees. Though she had film industry. A star is always known her debut in Tamil movie Paasam (1962) through his or her constructed image (Dyer opposite to MGR3 her first feature film in & McDonald, 1998). Malayalam was Bhagyajathakam (1962) with Satyan. Like the name SHAPING OF SHEELA’S STARDOM Bhagyajathakam (Lucky Horoscope) suggests; her entry to Malayalam cinema Without taking a break, from 1962 to the industry was too a Bhagyajathakam for her next two decades Malayalis witnessed and to the cine world for getting such a Sheela’s assortment characters in 475 competent and versatile actress (Dennis, movies like Moodupadam (1963), 2014). Kuttikuppayam (1964), Kudumbini (1964), (1965), Kavyamela (1965), As an actress, she by no means keen on Tharavattamma (1966) , Sthanarthi acting and left out every bit of the Saramma (1966), Velutha Kathreena gratification of the childhood and teenage (1968), Rest House (1969), Kallichellama due to her hectic schedules in films. (1969), Ningalenne Communistakki Though she starts off performing in Tamil (1970), Oru Penninte Kadha (1971), movies she was not at ease with Tamil Anubhavangal Paalichakal (1971), industry and immediately moved to

3 The Tamil actor Marudhur Gopalan 4 Kairali Channel is an Indian television Ramachandran is popularly known by his channel broadcasting in Malayalam language. initials MGR.

1st September, 2016 Page 4 Website: www.irjms.in Email: [email protected], [email protected] INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Vol. 2, Issue 9, September, 2016 ISSN (Online): 2454-8499 Impact Factor: 1.3599(GIF), 0.679(IIFS)

Chukku (1973), Sarapancharam (1979), (who handled dual roles of father and son) Vazhve Mayom (1970) etc. gained wide appreciation for their splendid acts. The movie was an adaptation of the She gained a widespread appreciation for widely accepted professional stage play of her role as Karuthamma in the President's the same name authored by the prominent Gold Medal Award winner film dramatist . T. Mohammed. In Vazhve Chemmeen (1965) directed by Ramu Mayam (1970) the character of a dutiful Kariat. The movie was grounded on the wife who is wedged in misunderstandings novel written by Jnanpith Award holder and suspicion of the marital life was safe Thakazhy Sivasankara Pillai in the same in Sheela’s hands. The scuffle of a woman name. Chemmeen (The Shrimp), an epic from her young age to the middle age for a depiction of a particular fishing reverential life who was misjudged in her community in Kerala focuses on local life was depicted marvelously on the silver culture, mythology and the issues related screen by this fabulous actress. to caste and community differences. The vulnerable and concerned young woman The film Kallichellamma (1969) based on sandwiched between the husband and the a novel by G.Vivekanandan remained a lover was acted tremendously by Sheela great challenge in Sheela’s career for through her brilliant expressions. which, the critics admired her deeply. The Malayali spectators still remembers the In Thulabharam (1968) both Sheela and multifaceted women Chellamma and only her contemporary Sarada exhibited extremely gifted artists would be capable stunning performance and the movie to carry out that character which she possessed a thundering hit. The movie performed superbly. For this superb focused on the adverse situation existed performance she secured the Best Actress among the political and trade union’s Kerala State Film Award for the year related to the labour issues. It rendered a 1969. Sheela’s bold and startling rational picture of the working class that performance and her versatility in frequently falls prey to the malevolence of Kalaripayattu5 styles was witnessed in the the management-trade union conflicts in movies based on Vadakkan Pattu stories factories. Apart from Malayalam this super (Ballads of North Malabar) like Othenante hit movie which won two National Awards Makan (1970), Aromalunni (1972), was remade in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. Thumbolaarcha (1974), Kannappanunni Sheela showed her bold performance as an (1977) and Kadathanattu Makkam (1978.) advocate to find justice for her childhood Kadathanattu Makkam (1978) holds a acquaintance who was thrust to shoot further specialism of being the 100th film down her children owing to penury. featuring Prem Nazir and Sheela as the leading duo. (Gopalakrishnan, 2012) In Adimakal (1969), Kadalpalam (1969) and Vazhve Mayam (1970) Sheela and the Sheela co-starred with Kamal Hassan in male lead Sathyan both showcased their Vishnu Vijayam (1974), Mattoru Seetha tremendous acting skills. Adimakal (1969) (1975) and in Eetta (1978). Mattoru based on a novel by Pamman bagged Seetha directed by P Bhaskaran is a the National Award for the Best Feature remake of the Telugu film O Seetha Katha Film in Malayalam and Film Fare Award for the Best Malayalam film. In the 5 well received box office hit movie Kalaripayattu, one of the oldest Indian Kadalpalam (1969), Sheela and Sathyan martial in existence is widely practiced in Kerala. 1st September, 2016 Page 5 Website: www.irjms.in Email: [email protected], [email protected] INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Vol. 2, Issue 9, September, 2016 ISSN (Online): 2454-8499 Impact Factor: 1.3599(GIF), 0.679(IIFS)

(1973), directed by K. Vishwanath. Later protagonist, Prem Nazir in the movie in 1976, K. Balachander directed the Thumbolaarcha (1974); this solitary event movie Moondru Mudichu in Tamil which confirms her star value and her was actually the remake of O Seetha inevitability in the Malayalam movies Katha. Movies like Etho Oru Swapnam (Dennis, 2014) (1978), Sharapancharam (1979) Aavesham (1979) and Kannappanunni (1977) have seen the Sheela, the dream girl of Malayalam action lead of the Malayalam cinema, cinema came to limelight after 18 years of Jayan and Sheela sharing the screen space. gap in 2003 through the ace filmmaker Sharapancharam (1979) shattered all Sathyan Anthikkad's Manasinakkare with record collections of the Malayalam film . Subsequently the yesteryear industry till that period and turn out to be heartthrob had shared screen space with the record grosser of 1979 (Krishnankutty, almost all the super heroes of the 2014). contemporary generation and is greeted with pivotal characters in the movies Malayalam cinema was intensely (2004) directed by with influenced by the social realist aesthetic. Prithviraj in the lead role, The 1950’s and 1960’s was deemed as the (2005) with legend star literary decades dominated by literary , Thaskara Veeran (2005) with works and in sixties, Malayalam cinema Madhu and , Pathaka (2006) had produced strong women characters. with , Snehaveedu (2011) The movies of this time are hence seen to along with , Mr Marumakan endow its heroines with both a public and (2012) with and Ulsaha committee a private ideal. Films inexorably bear (2014) with Jayaram. several relationships to the political and social values of the culture that produces Looking from an industrial viewpoint stars and consumes them. Mainstream narrative can be seen as an element for investment. films tend to articulate popular sentiments Since a star image guarantees profits and and frequently reflect the dominant safe investments from companies outside ideological assumptions of their the cinema industry, it is viewed as a form civilization (Pillai, 2010). of capital. Stars are considered as marketing tools and their images are Sthanarthy Saramma (1966), promoted with the intention of having an Kanakachilanka (1966) Aswamedham effect on the entertainment market (1967), Agniputhri (1967), Punnapra (McDonald, 2000). Mary Ann Doane and Vayalar (1968), Adimakal (1969), Jackie Stacey emphasized the construction Ezhuthatha Kadha (1970), Anubhavangal of female identity and the efforts of the Paalichakal (1971), Kapalika (1973) are female actors who try to define her in the some of the movies that exposed Sheela’s patriarchal society. They deemed that a sturdy courageous women characters with star is a construction, an outcome of the her exceptional performance. In the flick culture, industrially manufactured and Makane Ninakku Vendi (1971) Sheela had prefabricated by men (Doane, 1987; played the character of Prem Nazir’s Stacey, 1994). mother, with whom later she created a history in the Indian cinema. Whilst heroes “When Sheela’s contemporaries had a are paid more in the film industry, Sheela subtle, sensuous figure, hers is more was remunerated more than the male vividly which the Malayalam cinema has

1st September, 2016 Page 6 Website: www.irjms.in Email: [email protected], [email protected] INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Vol. 2, Issue 9, September, 2016 ISSN (Online): 2454-8499 Impact Factor: 1.3599(GIF), 0.679(IIFS)

not witnessed yet. The Malayali audience (1976) and Shikarangal (1979) which was was expecting such a sought of chubby and later remade in Tamil. For Shikarangal fleshy body figure and when she entered (1979) she wrote the story, script and into the industry this hidden concept of the screenplay. Even though she had played viewers about the female actress were fully the lead in ’s Aswamedham satisfied and they were thrilled to see her (1967), depicting the role of a leprosy on screen. The sensuous way of dialogue patient, whom propagates positive presentation was started from her. She was messages to the general public regarding the superstar of the industry and also an the stigma emotionally involved with the object of desire for the audience. In her dreaded disease; the actress still had an case nudity was expressed explicitly ambition of doing an AIDS patient through camera movements. She never character. Sheela believes that stars are exposed her body, but had a magical capable of creating awareness among the power to evoke a sensuous feeling in the public through movies. viewers and always carried a charm. She maintained the morality, what the malayali “She has surpassed the glory of audience expected from her”6 (John Paul, superstardom with 475 films in her credit; Script Writer) a record may be unfeasible for any prevailing actress to outshine. No Marjorie Rosen’s Popcorn Venus actresses from the Malayalam cine examines the female stars of each decade industry have broken the records owned by and accounts for the transformation of the her and without mentioning Sheela’s female onscreen images with respect to career and her stardom the history of women’s place in society at any one time. Malayalam cinema is incomplete. It’s not She says that movies not only reflect the essential that a talented actor should be a social structures and changes, but also star and vice versa. But in her case she is misrepresent them as per the fantasies of a blend of the two: a talented actress with their male creators (Rosen, 1973, p.12). a star value. Merely a few female actresses Laura Mulvey’s essay “Visual Pleasure have got this appreciation and she is one and Narrative Cinema”, the most notable among them7” (Byju Laila Raj, Artist). study that discussed the relation between women and the pleasures of film even As an actress, she was extremely selective though does not deal with stardom or and under no circumstances, sought to be female stars directly, but it looks at the confined in stereotyped roles and every placing of women in narrative cinema and time she held a preference for assortment talks about the relation linking spectator character and themes. Sheela was an and star image. Mulvey argues that the actress who has fetched up in the cinema concept of pleasure is imperative in the and who had endured for the celluloid. Her analysis of a star image and the spectators entire life is crammed with the cinema and gain a particular pleasure from watching devoid of cinema her life is zilch. Her stars otherwise there won’t be any stars at devotion and industrious have helped out all (Mulvey,1975) her in attaining the peak of the stardom. CONCLUSION Sheela had tried her hand at direction by directing two films, Yaksha Gaanam 7 Told in a personal interview with Byju Laila Raj, a Psychologist and an Artist 6 Told by John Paul, Scriptwriter in a personal (Painter & Singer) interview with him 1st September, 2016 Page 7 Website: www.irjms.in Email: [email protected], [email protected] INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Vol. 2, Issue 9, September, 2016 ISSN (Online): 2454-8499 Impact Factor: 1.3599(GIF), 0.679(IIFS)

REFERENCE:

1. Adler, M. (1985). Stardom and Talent. American Economic Review, 75(1), 208-212. Retrieved from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-8282(19850.O;2-B&origin=repec. 2. Arora, S. (2004). Cyclopaedia of Indian cinema. New Delhi: Anmol Publications. 3. Dennis, K. (2014, October). Malayalathintte Bhagyatharakam. Star and Style, (19), 88-89. 4. Doane, M. A. (1982). Film and the Masquerade: Theorizing the Female Spectator. Screen, 23(3-4), 74-87. doi:10.1093/screen/23.3-4.74 5. Doane, M. A. (1987). The desire to desire: The woman's film of the 1940s. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. 6. Dyer, R., & McDonald, P. (1998). Stars (2nd ed.). UK: BFI Publishing. 7. Gopalakrishnan, C. (2012). Annathe Naayikamaar. Kottayam, Kerala: DC Books. 8. Krishnankutty, C. (2014, December). Sheela Annoru Soundaryam. Nostalgia, 7(4), 33-35. 9. McDonald, P. (2000). The star system: Hollywood's production of popular identities. London: Wallflower. 10. Metz, C. (1982). The imaginary signifier: Psychoanalysis and the cinema. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. 11. Morin, E. (1961). An Account of The Star System in Motion Pictures. New York: Grove Press. 12. Mulvey, L. (1975). Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. Screen, 16(3), 6-18. doi:10.1093/screen/16.3.6 13. Naremore, J. (1988). Acting in the cinema. Berkeley: University of California Press. 14. Pandian, M. S. (1992). The image trap: M.G. Ramachandran in film and politics. New Delhi: Sage. 15. Pillai, M. T. (2010). Women in Malayalam cinema: Naturalising gender hierarchies. New Delhi: Orient BlackSwan. 16. Rosen, M. (1973). Popcorn Venus; women, movies & the American dream Hardcover. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan. 17. Rosen, S. (1981). The Economics of Superstars. The American Economic Review, 71(5), 845- 858. Retrieved from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-8282(198112)71:52.0.CO;2-R 18. Stacey, J. (1994). Star gazing: Hollywood cinema and female spectatorship. London: Routledge.

1st September, 2016 Page 1 Website: www.irjms.in Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Top View