Restructuring Oppari: A Portrayal of the Tamil Lament in Cinema

Author Information

Kethan Preethi B, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, India
Devika, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, India

Abstract

Oppari is a traditional Tamil oral lament form, performed historically by women during funerals as a ceremonial expression of grief. Largely existing within marginalised communities, especially among lower caste groups, Oppari is faced with the challenge of extinction due to various reasons such as urban migration and the lack of institutional recognition. In contemporary times, this lament tradition has been taken up by professional male Oppari singers and has come into visibility to a larger audience via its portrayals in Tamil cinema. This paper aims to explore how the cinematic portrayals resonate, reshape and recontextualise their cultural meanings. The study aims to look at the visual context, the performance dynamics, the narrative and the commercialisation of the lament through an integrated theoretical framework, combining Pierre Bourdieu’s cultural capital and Douglas Kellner’s media culture, coupled with content analysis. Select Tamil film songs, including ‘Pandarathi Puranam’ from the film Karnan (2021), ‘Makka Kalangudhapa’ from Dharmadurai (2016) and ‘Enjoy Enjaami’(2021), an independent Tamil album song from a band named Maajaa Band, were closely examined. Findings reveal a considerable gendered shift in performance, showcasing the evolution of traditional laments for sustenance. This transition has reformed both the function and content of the lament songs. Far from serving as vessels of personal catharsis, these lament songs embody the wider realities in which they are situated.