Sony Jalarajan Raj
Biographic Data
| ID | 1254263 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Sony Jalarajan Raj |
| GIVEN NAMES | Sony Jalarajan |
| FAMILY NAME | Raj |
| SIGNATURE | RAJ S J |
| AFFILIATIONS | MacEwan University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1293-8632 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 15 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 7 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 15 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2015 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Into the feminist frontlines: The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) and feminist solidarity in the Malayalam film industry
Women working in Indian film industries face many challenges related to equality, freedom and safety. They are not only under-represented in every stage of film production, but also harassed and controlled by patriarchal hegemonic forces. This article examines the possibility of women’s collective action in traditionally masculine working environments of Indian cinema. It focuses on a case study of the Malayalam film industry, the South Indian re…
At the Crossroads of Erotic and Mainstream: The Two-phase Celebrity Stardom of Silk Smitha in Malayalam Cinema
The star discourse of Silk Smitha, the popular South Indian actress who became a sensation in the 1980s through erotic dance numbers and performances, shows the intricacies of female celebrity stardom in Indian cinema. This article examines the two-phase celebrity stardom of Silk Smitha as an erotic-mainstream figure and her contribution to the Malayalam film industry by highlighting her role in reconfiguring perceptions of glamour, sexuality and…
Mothers of the South: Power, suffering, and identity in maternal narratives of South Indian cinema
The Western Gaze in RRR ’s “Naatu Naatu” and the Global Appeal of Indian Musicals
The global popularity of the award-winning song-dance “Naatu Naatu” from the South Indian film RRR (2022) lies in its vibrant spectacle that intertwines cultural history, political themes, and gender expressions within the framework of Indian musicals. Using textual analysis, this paper investigates how the semiotic and performative aspects of “Naatu Naatu” created a new cultural appeal in the West by representing the postcolonial and nationalist…
Fragile fat masculinities: The narrative construction and masculine negotiation of fatphobia in Malayalam cinema
The portrayal of the male fat body in Indian cinema is intertwined with prevalent social constructs and gender stereotypes regarding idealized masculine corporeality. The fat character is frequently depicted as a source of humour that not only reinforces fatphobic attitudes but also underscores the normalization of body shaming in Indian society. This article scrutinizes the representations and discourses surrounding fatness within the context of…
Transgressive Bodies in Dark Worlds: Female Gangsters and Film Noir in Indian Popular Cinema
The influence of film noir is reflected in Indian popular cinema through narratives that portray the aesthetics of crime-infested, morally deranged and extremely violent urban cityscapes where characters deal with the anxieties of a modern world. The representation of women in such narratives presents a context that challenges the way female characters are imagined and stereotyped in traditional Indian film narratives. This paper examines the soc…
The Truth Lies In-between
This chapter examines the dynamics of political protests in India, emphasizing the influence of group identities and the role of technology in shaping narratives. Focusing on the 2020–2021 Indian farmers’ protest, it delves into the dichotomy of ‘support or protest’ that polarized the nation, framing individuals as either ‘nationalist’ or ‘anti-nationalist.’ The chapter examines the impact of such identity-based activism on public discourse, part…
Dark days of Indian democracy: A historical study on the portrayal, censorship, and representation of ‘Indian emergency’ in Malayalam cinema
Sports Narratives and Historical Nationalism: Re-Visiting the Context and Use of Field Hockey in Chak De! India
Towards Mature Manhood: The Representation of Neoliberal Boyhood in Bollywood Cinema
Reframing Islam in bollywood cinema: A study on the construction of the Islamic identity in Indian cinema
This paper examines how stereotypical perceptions contribute to the construction of Muslim identity narratives in the context of Indian nationalism and the history of the Indo-Pak Partition. The main focus of this study is on how mainstream cinema portrayed the historical and nationalistic struggles of Partition through which the Muslim identity was shaped and shared through a range of communicative mediums. The verbal, physical, ritualistic and …
Unmasking the Protester: Deciphering the Collective Disguise of Masked Identities in Political Resistance and Communication
From closeness to openness: Repositioning of the Indian kitchen and restructuring of the gender system
The concept of the kitchen is an integral part of household interiors that defines a space of interactivity essential to the organic existence of individuals in society. The traditional Indian kitchen is a closed space separated from the living room and other open spaces where members interact regularly. It is conventionally established as a gendered space restricted for women members to partake in activities of food production, serving, and clea…
Remastering Prince and authenticity: Marketing the posthumous cultural artefacts of a past musical life
Hailed as one of the most versatile artists of his time, Prince is marked in history for his revolutionary music that rendered his appearance as a cultural icon across various music aficionados around the world. The posthumous evolution of Prince’s legacy is largely embedded in the reproduction and (re)release of material that not only presents him as a music artist but a commercial product for the market. This created a new cultural space where …
Gender construct as a narrative and text: The female protagonist in new-generation Malayalam cinema
The film industry in Kerala (popularly known as ‘Mollywood’ in the mediasphere) is an obvious example of the changing face of the regional film industries in India in accordance with the varying socio-cultural values and demands of the audience. These films claim a multifaceted ‘newness’ in their narration, ranging from the themes explored to their techniques of production and narration. This article seeks to analyze whether this ‘newness’ is con…
Gender construct as a narrative and text: The female protagonist in new-generation Malayalam cinema
The film industry in Kerala (popularly known as ‘Mollywood’ in the mediasphere) is an obvious example of the changing face of the regional film industries in India in accordance with the varying socio-cultural values and demands of the audience. These films claim a multifaceted ‘newness’ in their narration, ranging from the themes explored to their techniques of production and narration. This article seeks to analyze whether this ‘newness’ is con…
Towards Mature Manhood: The Representation of Neoliberal Boyhood in Bollywood Cinema
Gender construct as a narrative and text: The female protagonist in new-generation Malayalam cinema
The film industry in Kerala (popularly known as ‘Mollywood’ in the mediasphere) is an obvious example of the changing face of the regional film industries in India in accordance with the varying socio-cultural values and demands of the audience. These films claim a multifaceted ‘newness’ in their narration, ranging from the themes explored to their techniques of production and narration. This article seeks to analyze whether this ‘newness’ is con…
From closeness to openness: Repositioning of the Indian kitchen and restructuring of the gender system
The concept of the kitchen is an integral part of household interiors that defines a space of interactivity essential to the organic existence of individuals in society. The traditional Indian kitchen is a closed space separated from the living room and other open spaces where members interact regularly. It is conventionally established as a gendered space restricted for women members to partake in activities of food production, serving, and clea…
Remastering Prince and authenticity: Marketing the posthumous cultural artefacts of a past musical life
Hailed as one of the most versatile artists of his time, Prince is marked in history for his revolutionary music that rendered his appearance as a cultural icon across various music aficionados around the world. The posthumous evolution of Prince’s legacy is largely embedded in the reproduction and (re)release of material that not only presents him as a music artist but a commercial product for the market. This created a new cultural space where …
Reframing Islam in bollywood cinema: A study on the construction of the Islamic identity in Indian cinema
This paper examines how stereotypical perceptions contribute to the construction of Muslim identity narratives in the context of Indian nationalism and the history of the Indo-Pak Partition. The main focus of this study is on how mainstream cinema portrayed the historical and nationalistic struggles of Partition through which the Muslim identity was shaped and shared through a range of communicative mediums. The verbal, physical, ritualistic and …
Unmasking the Protester: Deciphering the Collective Disguise of Masked Identities in Political Resistance and Communication
Transgressive Bodies in Dark Worlds: Female Gangsters and Film Noir in Indian Popular Cinema
The influence of film noir is reflected in Indian popular cinema through narratives that portray the aesthetics of crime-infested, morally deranged and extremely violent urban cityscapes where characters deal with the anxieties of a modern world. The representation of women in such narratives presents a context that challenges the way female characters are imagined and stereotyped in traditional Indian film narratives. This paper examines the soc…
The Truth Lies In-between
This chapter examines the dynamics of political protests in India, emphasizing the influence of group identities and the role of technology in shaping narratives. Focusing on the 2020–2021 Indian farmers’ protest, it delves into the dichotomy of ‘support or protest’ that polarized the nation, framing individuals as either ‘nationalist’ or ‘anti-nationalist.’ The chapter examines the impact of such identity-based activism on public discourse, part…
Dark days of Indian democracy: A historical study on the portrayal, censorship, and representation of ‘Indian emergency’ in Malayalam cinema
Sports Narratives and Historical Nationalism: Re-Visiting the Context and Use of Field Hockey in Chak De! India
Towards Mature Manhood: The Representation of Neoliberal Boyhood in Bollywood Cinema
At the Crossroads of Erotic and Mainstream: The Two-phase Celebrity Stardom of Silk Smitha in Malayalam Cinema
The star discourse of Silk Smitha, the popular South Indian actress who became a sensation in the 1980s through erotic dance numbers and performances, shows the intricacies of female celebrity stardom in Indian cinema. This article examines the two-phase celebrity stardom of Silk Smitha as an erotic-mainstream figure and her contribution to the Malayalam film industry by highlighting her role in reconfiguring perceptions of glamour, sexuality and…
Mothers of the South: Power, suffering, and identity in maternal narratives of South Indian cinema
The Western Gaze in RRR ’s “Naatu Naatu” and the Global Appeal of Indian Musicals
The global popularity of the award-winning song-dance “Naatu Naatu” from the South Indian film RRR (2022) lies in its vibrant spectacle that intertwines cultural history, political themes, and gender expressions within the framework of Indian musicals. Using textual analysis, this paper investigates how the semiotic and performative aspects of “Naatu Naatu” created a new cultural appeal in the West by representing the postcolonial and nationalist…
Fragile fat masculinities: The narrative construction and masculine negotiation of fatphobia in Malayalam cinema
The portrayal of the male fat body in Indian cinema is intertwined with prevalent social constructs and gender stereotypes regarding idealized masculine corporeality. The fat character is frequently depicted as a source of humour that not only reinforces fatphobic attitudes but also underscores the normalization of body shaming in Indian society. This article scrutinizes the representations and discourses surrounding fatness within the context of…
Into the feminist frontlines: The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) and feminist solidarity in the Malayalam film industry
Women working in Indian film industries face many challenges related to equality, freedom and safety. They are not only under-represented in every stage of film production, but also harassed and controlled by patriarchal hegemonic forces. This article examines the possibility of women’s collective action in traditionally masculine working environments of Indian cinema. It focuses on a case study of the Malayalam film industry, the South Indian re…
Art (11 works) · Sociology (11 works) · South Asian Cinema and Culture (11 works) · Movie theater (9 works) · Aesthetics (8 works) · Political science (8 works) · Cinema and Media Studies (7 works) · Literature (7 works) · Gender Studies (6 works) · Law (6 works)