Recasting Gender Roles: The New Woman and the New Man in Women-Centred Contemporary Malayalam Films

Abstract

This article examines the representation of gender roles in select women-centred contemporary Malayalam films. It attempts to expand on the idea of the “new Indian woman” and develop a concept of the “new Indian man.” The new Indian woman is a byproduct of the cultural metamorphosis caused by liberalisation, while the new Indian man could be understood as the product of modern culture’s attempt to undermine traditional masculinity. By analysing the movies Biriyaani (2020), The Great Indian Kitchen (2021), Aanum Pennum (2021), and Sara’s (2021), as well as the short films Memories of a Machine (2016), Freedom @ Midnight (2021), Periods vs Men (2021), and Love Sex Periods (2022), this paper illustrates how this concept of the “new Indian woman” has been redefined by media. These films also foreground how the new Indian man negotiates more subtle and sensitive gender issues. This study contributes to the existing literature on contemporary femininities and masculinities by discussing issues central to feminist discourses, including gender equality, marriage, reproductive autonomy, and menstruation. © 2025 Bridgewater State College. All rights reserved.