Loytard, Rudiments Paiens - INFLIBNETshodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/16747/11/11... · 2018-07-09 · Loytard, Rudiments Paiens conclusion . CONCLUSION The aim of this

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"To arrest the meaning of uorks once for all, that is u.hu: T enre W1J1tS. "- Jean Francis Loytard, Rudiments Paiens

conclusion

CONCLUSION

The aim of this thesis has been to examine contemporary culture and film industry with

special reference to Tamil cinema. There was a need to theorise the problematic of cinema

in general and Tamil cinema in particular. By doing so we have discussed and analysed the

debates on art and its relationship with culture and cinema. The problems and debates

that exist in the area of film theory and film criticism were also examined and then it was

important to understand the problems and politics which exists in Tamil cinema and the

film industry. The thesis also endeavoured to place some of the elements of Tamil cinema

so that the problematic is understood in a perspective. The formal elements of cinema was

very important to understand form, theme and technique. It was also important to

examine the formulations of various theoreticians and film mak.ers so that a plurality of

perspectives were made available in understanding cinema. The main objective of this

thesis was to analyse the culture industry and its relationship with society and cinema.

The styles and expressions of cultural forms were discussed to understand the dynamic of

the relationship between cinema and culture. Filmization is one of the key concepts

examined in the thesis which enables us to understand contemporary culture and cinema

which are the objectives of the thesis.

The concerns of this thesis have been few and far between. They have essentially dealt

with the problem of culture and cinema in general, and Tamil film industry in particular.

It must be underscored that though there has been an effort to understand the categories

of culture and cinema, they have not been studied or analysed as water tight

compartments. On the contrary, the principal focus of this thesis has been to understand

culture and cinema as they are, in the everyday. The philosophical and theoretical premise

from which this thesis draws impetus is the very notion of deconstruction. It is here that

the importance of criticism is realised. This exercise in deconstruction enables us to offer a

new perspective in looking at the problem. Deconstruction provides a chance to challenge

the existing model, which laid importance to studying culture and cinema per se without

realising the symbiotic importance, the context against which these categories are woven

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and the latent patterns which are responsible for manifest appearances. This moot point

forms the essence of cultural studies and the underlying theme m contemporary

humanities and social sciences.

Categories and concepts are not studied as separate entities. It is not an independent study

of culture and cinema. On the other hand, it is a study of the influence of cinema on

culture and the everyday. This has led to the filmization of culture. It has been argued

that filmization is a result of an increasing influence of signs and symbols that are

representations of cinema. The character of everyday is modified through the mediazation

of film signs and symbols- filmization. The phenomena of filmization leads us to the heart

of the pr:oblem. Contemporary culture is increasingly dominated by symbols of the mass

media and communication. These symbols are in a state of constant flux. Because of a

constancy in motion, culture which encompasses these symbols has become a global

product for mass consumption. As a result of the affectations of signs and symbols,

contemporary culture has lost its locality. The characteristic trait which distinguished and

defined culture-indigenous and original- is obliterated in an era of mass communication

and modern culture. As a result, a singular cultural trait has become a meeting point for

other cultural traits. Culture has moved from a monolingual plane to a bilingual plane.

Culture has become syncretic, a base of multifarious symbols. As a result of cultural

diffusion it changes the manner and appearance of cultural form.

What is primary in the culture of pastiche are the relationships between various cultural

traits and the acknowledgement of individual cultural traditions and practices. It is argued

that during 'such encounters a syncretric assortment takes place. The context against

which various cultures come together is also important. This cultural syncreticism is

manifested in the everyday practices. In its manifestations the native cultural mannerisms

are not clearly defined and hence they are not identified. The pastiche facilitates to weave

a veil around the everyday manifestations.

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The flip side to the argument of a cultural bricolege is the operation of power relations

behind the cultural pastiche which facilitate expressions and representations in

contemporary culture. The identification and acknowledgement of power structures and

its relations will help us understand the constant influence of mass media, its apparatus

and functioning of contemporary culture. Ideologically, theorising culture would mean

discussing culture in terms of power relations. The symbolic and interpretative

conceptions of culture have never discussed power relations. Since culture is both

conceptually and practically related to land, customs, traditions, language and a set of

beliefs and practices, it assumes ideological positioning vis-a-vis other cultures. Culture is a

site of relational power. Constant exercise of power relations during a period of time

become culture. The manifest operationalization of this process is called culture and the

latent patterns on which this is operationalized is power. According to this school of

thought, modern culture is an example of a fundamental denial and betrayal of reality by

representations of signs and symbols. These representations feign and pretend to be real

and that is why they are called simulations. Power has the remarkable ability to produce

signs and symbols of its resemblance. This is the intricate and vital aspe~t of any structure

of power. These signs and symbols possess a remarkable trait of simulation. By

reproducing signs of semblance it risked deterrence and simulation. As a result, there is a

constant manufacturing and remanufacturing of artificial, social, economic political and

cultural stakes. The meaning of expression and profoundity of representation is lost in

the reproduction of signs. The reproduction is a scaled down version of reality but

simulated enough to appear as real. In contemporary culture, reproduction is, in a manner

of speaking, hyper real. Thus the simulated reality is expressed everywhere by the 'real'

striking resemblance to itself. In the age of simulation, power conceals its existence or

power is no longer present except to conceal that there is none.

In the age of information technology and digital communication reference has lost its

foundations. The reference was lost much before when Walter Benjamin wrote about the

'age of mechanical reproduction'. There seems to be a systematic reproduction in other

reaches of everyday life as well. The new culture is totally immune to the theories rooted

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in traditional assumptions. The strategy employed by the media is one of montage, to

structure a unique cultural reality. 'Film and cinema' is used as one of the strategies in

constructing a culture of simulation. In general, mass communication and its symbols

influence in formulating an era of simulation where objects and discourses have no

ground or foundation.

Theory favours a pluralist epistemology composed of a "multiplicity of points of view,

each of them roughly having an equal power of generality". It is more an art of

"circulating along paths or fibers," an art of transportation and intersection; for theory

progress is an "interlacing". Depending on individual physiology, it is supposed to lead to

a "philosophy of communication without substance, that is, with neither fixity nor

reference. »1 The issues discussed, the problems analysed, the explorations and attempts

made in this thesis stand to testify the plurality present in culturological studies, both

complementary and conflicting. An interpretative approach, rand not one of finality is

employed in the entire process. For de Certeau, theory moves in the direction of the

indeterminate as opposite to technology which moves toward the functionalist

distinction, and in that way transforms everything and transforms itself as well.

The use of symbols and symbolism has a relay effect in all the spheres of Tamil society. So

strong are the consequences, that the popular conception and construction of Tamil

society has been mO!llded by perceptions like the, 'T amil society is a bundle of

contradictions'. In that it pioneered the anti-caste and anti-Brahmin Dravidian movement

that fought against all forms of rituals, domination, superstitions, child marriage and

reservations in the administration and other fields for the deprived sections. The

Dravidian movement led to the beginning of a progressive transformation of society. The

movement was a significant pointer in the history of Tamil Nadu. The movement

changed the social, cultural and political equations in the state that was ruled and

dominated by a Brahmin minority. This movement gave rise to different political parties,

which functioned on the principles and ideals of the Dravidian movement.

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, '

Cinema had a significant participation and a telling influence on the Tamil society in the

early years of its discovery. Prior to that, there was a strong and continuous tradition of

folk arts and its performance in the state. The early years of Tamil cinema came under a

heavy influence of company drama and theatre. Tamil cinema formed its technical studios

and production houses in the first years of Tamil cinema. It gave way to the establishment

of a film industry. The form and content of Tamil films changed during the years from

the time first movies were shown to the public. Films during the pre-independence years

were also used as a means for political propaganda. Films were also used for the same

purpose during post-independence period. During the-fifties a significant process took

place. As a result of constant and regular association with the film industry, the members

of the Dravidian parties were able to convey the ideals and principles of the Dravidian

movement through films. A large number of writers and playwrights associated

themselves with film industry. This tribe of writers belonged mostly to the Dravidian

parties. Cinema was used to convey, communicate and subvert the dominant cinematic

paradigm in Tamil N adu. As a result, there was a marked change in the theme, form and

content of the movies produced. The tone and the structure of the movies underwent a

remarkable change during this period. Symbols and signs were used effectively in the

movies to convey the Dravidian party's ideology. The producers carefully chose the

themes. The subjects for films were subjected to a treatment in line with the Dravidian

ideology. The script in a few films proved vital in successively communicating the themes

c..:nceived by producers and directors. The written word was perforce dominant on the

movie during the fifties and the sixties. The dialogues proved quintessential in

formulating a new theme, repudiating the existential cinematic and political firmament.

During this period, the Dravidian writers ushered a new era in terms of sharp scripts

infused with social and political sarcasm.

Films became a product of mass consumption. As a result, it gave way to a large group of

organised collectivity viz., the audiences. The audiences formed the collective base for the

I Michel de Certeau. The Practice of Everyday. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988,p.199.

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film industry. They established a market relationship with the film industry. Movies

became a craze and an obsession with the public. This culminated in the cult of celebrity

and hero worship by the masses. The rulers of the state are the same people who once

ruled the film industry. These perceptions however are in consonance with the practice of

the everyday.

The definitions of culture and politics have changed. Tamil films facilitated cultural

change to an extent and therefore, the meanings of these categories which form the

essence of the Tamil society have changed. Or, is the reading of these categories which has

changed? It is observed that, after an initial analysis, cinema was just an accessory to

enhance and realise the objectives of a political culture. Because if it was the case, it would

have remained in that state. Now that the cinema has grown into a macro institution, the

film industry has assumed a major role in the society.

The Tamil cinema was shunned at its humble beginnings by some sections of the Tamil

elite. Contrary to this very move, the Tamil elite quite paradoxically embraced Tamil

cinema and monopolised it after the talkies arrived. The Tamil cinema at its early stages

spoke the language of the elite in that it was a cultural reproduction of a particular kind

of a culture which dominated the Tamil society. At the same time, there were instances .

where themes on untouchability and child marriage were portrayed in Tamil cinema.

Though there is no elaborate prehistory of cinema in Tamil Nadu, the discovery of

cinema in Europe and its influence in Tamil Nadu gave sufficient ground for the

filmization of society much later. The popular film press and film journalism have been

growing in leaps and bounds simultaneously rendering support to the film industry. It

forms a strong supportive mechanism for the film industry. The popular film press prints

film based snippets and tit-bits, through its weeklies, fortnightly and monthly magazines.

The popular press had its origins during the pre cinema era and there it had a steady

growth and development along with the growth of cinema. The culmination of the

popular press witnessed magazines exclusively for film actors and actresses that were

managed by the members of fan clubs. These organisations related to a particular actor

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which came to be known as fan clubs. Fan clubs are an interesting factor in

understanding the culture of cult and hero worship. Fan clubs facilitate in understanding

the rubric of Tamil cinema, the patterns behind fan club organizations and their activities.

It is this mass obsession with cinema and 'stars' that lead to popular social and political

perceptions and constructions about the state. Various spheres of the Tamil society is

under the strong influence of cinema. A film actor launching a consumer product, a play

back singer presiding over the opening of a finance company, an a<ztress lending a cause

for the disprivileged and the handicapped and actors presiding over functions organised

by their fan clubs have become the order of everyday. It is argued that the line dividing

between the real and the reel is slowly getting blurred. That is, what is not possible to

achieve in the screen is achieved in real life. Or for that matter, even what is being

portrayed of an actor or character in the movie does not give the needed impact because

the screen is always perceived as unreal and the movie, a fantastic journey. Or is it the case

of the film stars trying to imitate their screen action into real life.? Is it a question of art

imitating life or life imitating art? The activities of the film stars in Tamil Nadu

constantly oscillate between their own private lives and some film magazines. Though not

legitimate, their public activities are highlighted in the media. The popular film press

draws its contents from these instances which is of a titillating nature. Both the

television and print media constantly converge and lend prime coverage to these activities

thereby instilling a sense of importance and priority attached to the film industry by the

masses.

It is here that Thompson's understanding of culture assumes importance in the modern

sense. His reading of the modern day culture and the level at which it is affected by the

media industries is elucidated in his mediazation of culture, which is the general process

by which the transmission of symbolic forms becomes increasingly mediated by the

technical and institutional apparatus of the media industries. The crux of the argument is

extended to the process,., of the film industry'S deep impact on contemporary culture in

Tamil Nadu, which we have referred to as filmization. The daily life of the public and the

masses is affected by the apparatuses of the film industry. Initially, this process began in

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Madras because the efforts and the impetus for the beginning of a South Indian cinema

happened here. Later as cinema grew and started moving into the towns and villages there

went along with it, a specific appearance which was associated with the films. Posters of

the films pasted on mobile carts went into the towns announcing the films and the show

timings. When sound became popular, loud speakers accompanied the carts and

sometimes the songs from the movie being advertised were also played. This aspect was

one of the initial efforts to popularise and advertise cinema with the help of mobile carts.

Rural electrification programme in Tamil Nadu enabled cinema reach the interior

villages. This led to the increasing number of theatres and cinema halls. As a result Tamil

Nadu has the largest number of cinema halls.

There was a clear continuum between the precursor to cinema- the drama- and films itself.

Though the transition from drama to films was slow, it took cinema a long time to

acquire complete cinematic stylistics. The initial years saw cinema imitate and mime the

dramatic medium. Filmmakers and film technicians have observed that the tendency to

imitate the traits of drama reflected the slow development of cinema i~ the state. But this

transition could only be normal. Any telescoping in the process would have hampered the

mature growth in the cinematic form. The development meant' in terms of handling the

theme, the treatment of the story and technical detailing. The link between cinema and

politics was established as early as the thirties when India was fighting for its

independence. First, the Congress party used this new entertainment form for the

purposes of propaganda against the British because of its enormity of reach. During the

initial phase, cinema was still looked down upon as a medium that was derogatory and

was associated with the low castes and classes. As mentioned earlier, this sort of a

perception came from the so called 'elite' who thought that they belonged and practiced

what was called the 'high culture'. Some of the pioneers belonged to the upper caste elite

and later began to be associated with Tamil cinema's history. Like the Congress in its

initial years realised the importance of the cinema for purposes of political propaganda,

the Dravida Kazhakam realised that they could effectively communicate their political

ideas and ideals through films. But an analysis of the basis behind this thought process,

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would reveal that most of the persons who joined the film industry belonged to political

parties. Their initial professional career was spent with professional drama companies.

Before the advent of cinema drama was used as a tool to propagate their political ideals

and the first political party to exploit the potential of drama was the Congress and then

the Dravidian parties. After the advent of cinema when the film industry was in the

making, the people who worked with the drama companies shifted towards cinema.

Cinema was thought as an effective medium for it reached larger audiences. The Dravida

Kazhakam though was in limelight at that time popularised its struggle through cinema

with the release of Parasakthi. The historians and scholars who were working on Tamil

cinema described this period and the genre as the cinema of dissent. It was during this

period, that a clear link was established between politics and cinema. It can be observed

that a kind of institutionalisation of the entire process took place during this period.

Consequentially a sense of legitimacy was attached to the nexus between politics and

cinema. This legitimacy resulted in the election of chief ministers of the state who were

full time professional actors, actresses and writers in the film industry. Cinema became a

sort of an interactive and dialogic medium where the characters in the film, the actors

talked with revolutionary zest and zeal to the public. This interactive process however is

a one way process. Since cinema is to a large extent an obsession with the masses, the ,

public gives a unanimous support to the functioning of the institution of cinema and the

film industry on a daily basis. Other apparatuses like the television, the radio and

especially the frequency modulation in metros and yellow journalism manifestly and

latently support the film industry simultaneously in their endeavour. Apart from these

factors film industry has its own aura and a sense of awe which surrounds it. The leading

role is played by the actors and actresses who form the crux of the industry according to

the popular public perception. The public sees them as the other. The masses idealise both

the situations depicted in the films and the actors who represent those situations. They'

become to the masses and their fans figures in mythology and therefore, cinema in this

sense becomes a myth. To reiterate, a myth is an ideal situation or a circumstance, a

situation which cannot be practiced in real life. There is however, a constant effort in the

everyday to reproduce the ideal in the real life world by the masses and the fans. It is an

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effort to make the myth of cinema imitate the myth of life. The hero of the film is

imitated in the everyday and his characterisation and mannerisms and reproduced in the

everyday. A sense of satisfaction is achieved by the masses which is demonstrated in the

activities of the fan clubs and in the quotidian reproduction of the ideal by these fan clubs

and the masses which feature in the film. Tamil film songs is another area within the

film industry and outside of it, which plays an important role in reiterating the position

of the film industry. Moreover film songs form a crucial and intricate part of the

television industry as well. After the advent of sound, Tamil film songs became a cultural

marker in the sense that they were

distinguishable from films of other language.

Tamil Nadu is one of the states which shares with Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka the

birth of a rich tradition of classical music of the Carnatic tradition . The performative

aspect of the tradition was manifested in public concerts where solo and group songs

were made public to the masses. The tradition of Carnatic music needed discipline and

rigorous training and the sema~tics and style are not comprehensible to the public and the

masses. It also needed a basic training and few primary lessons to understand and

appreciate it. Carnatic music became the dominating trend in the public realm and it was

practiced mostly by a particular group of people who were Brahmins. The score and the

songs for the early Tamil films came from musicians who were proponents and

exponents of the Carnatic tradition. Thus the early songs were mostly influenced by the

Carnatic style. Most of the actors in that period were these musicians themselves and

musicians we~e chosen to act because songs formed a major part of the film. Songs and

dialogues of a particular song came in the form of Long Play records. It can be observed

that the film songs played a cardinal role in the formation of the audio and cassette

industry which established its independence despite its existence within the film industry.

From the influence of Carnatic music the Tamil film music and industry were just about

imitating the style and pattern of the Hollywood musicals and the musical genre. Like

the imitation of story lines and themes from Hollywood, the musical themes were also

imitated from the West and a blend of local touch was given to them. With the result

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there emerged a new form of music in Tamil Nadu which was later called as fusion music.

Fusion music in Tamil films heralded a new kind of music which blended classical, pop

and the music which was in vogue in Hollywood and kept changing with times. The

Tamil film music can be distinguished on the basis of it being influenced by either rock

or Jazz music which were used in the films produced from Hollywood. The audio

industry ~tarted to establish itself along with the output of films from the industry.

Music composers established their own studios and started producing and distributing

audio tapes of their own films. This trend started with Ilayaraja, one of the popular

musicians. From the humble beginnings the sound world, where film songs form a major

part, it has grown into a huge industry. The cassette industry recently has transcended

from film songs to cutting music albums . The music industry has grown into a separate

and independent sphere where it does not necessarily need musicians anymore to be

involved in the business but entrepreneurial businessmen who run the conglomerates.

Tamil film songs apart from forming the crux of the music industry playa major role in

the everyday lives of the Tamil masses within the state and outside India where overseas

Tamils are present. Film songs, in terms of the everyday provides a cathartic effect to the

masses. In the viewing of films, though this process of catharsis is momentary, that is only

within the duration of the film, but since the listening of film songs is a recurring

process the cathartic effect revolves around the everyday. Film songs have come to form

an emotional tie with the masses apart from being an industry in itself. Most of the film

songs starting from the fifties were carefully worded for they we€e used for achieving

political mileage by the political parties. The songs in M G Ramachandran's (MGR) films

were widely popular and were written to lure the Tamil masses. The songs were in praise

of the downtrodden, women especially elderly women and the labour class. The songs

were also picturised in such a fashion that they drew public sympathy. Societal values,

norms and the do's and don'ts for the everyday were the contents of these songs. The

songs became a kind of zealous pointer in public life as though they provided the moral

edicts of public life. Ultimately these very songs were used during the election campaigns.

The sole objective of the careful usage of words and lyrics in these songs were to lure the

public and this process is very clearly manifested in the films of MGR and more recently

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in the films of Rajanikanth who has taken the place of MGR in the sense that there has

been a huge fan following for the actor and in much a larger scale than MGR.

The songs were also later used for electioneering purposes. The songs had finally achieved

the purpose of winning elections. The purpose of understanding film songs, will be

defeated if they are not seen against the background of the everyday. A common practice

throughout the state, film songs are played in most of the tea shops which open early in

the morning, in eateries and restaurants, buses and anywhere possible. There is always an

increase in the number of the shops which specialise in recording film songs of the

customer's choice. Though there is no underlying cause or reason for such a trend

through. out the state fora long time but this is the most common practice and there is a

public display of film songs. Thus the film industry and its products, if one can describe

them as so, has an inextricable relationship with the public and the everyday without

which the film industry's existence will be impossible.

As discussed earlier in this chapter and in the thesis, there is a clear link between Tamil

cinema and politics. This is one aspect and another important phenomenon is the politics -­

of Tamil cinema. There has been, in the academic writings on popular culture and

cinema, a tendency to show that there has been a clear divide between the high and the

'low culture.' Though this dichotomy of high and low culture is an ambiguous

theorisation, there is some truth in this conception. In the abstract sense the distinction is

marked by tradition and practices by a particular community. This could also be

extended to the existential and the realistic situation where the practices and the tradition

followed by: say for example the Brahmins in the field of music are called the high culture

or high tradition. On the other hand anything high cannot be popular and what is

popular or populist is categorised as low tradition. Carnatic music belongs to the portals

of high culture and film music and other forms of impure music does not fit into the high

culture and belongs to the low art. This is basically a popular conception and

construction. This construction emanated from the division in the categories of the caste

system. As there was a hierarchy in the caste system, so was a hierarchy their practices

280

and beliefs in every sphere of life. Though the divisions are not clear in the contemporary

culture but are manifested in some form or other in !the everyday and public life. In the

early years of cinema and through the present day the film industry has been dominated

by a section of people who were consisted of the elite. These elites were in the initial years

mostly composed of Brahmins. So much so that the Tamil film spoke their dialect, a

typical way of speaking Tamil which distinguishes the Brahmins from the non-Brahmins.

Later though this dialect was abolished in the films, the film industry was still dominated

by members of the upper caste. During the fifties when was there a dissent among a

certain group of writers and filmmakers whose political orientation differed from the

elite they wanted to change the face of Tamil cinema. It was a direct opposition of not

only the practices of the dominant class but against the uses and usage of their cultural

idioms. Thus a new cinema of dissent or the rebel cinema arrived. This genre of film

making lasted for two decades and then a new style of film making came into practice. In

the early years of Tamil cinema, there were efforts by filmmakers to handle social issues

like untouchability. Later caste was no longer discussed or was not the theme for

filmmakers because they kept up with the trend, which was changing ~y the decade. The

reason attributed to not discussing issues in films and even on public platforms on caste

could be that the non Brahmins were asserting their force on the social structure and that

it would have been volatile discussing a issue like caste and to take positions would trigger

passions in public. Or for that matter films regarded by the Censor Board to carry such

themes were diluted or not allowed for public viewing and commercial releases. Though

there were occasional films which handled issues on the problems of caste system. In

films which handled the problems of caste, as an overriding concern, the main

problematic was lost in the obsessive concern with song and dance sequences and other

such non serious paraphernalia and the conscious or unconscious attempt by the film

makers to deviate from the main narrative. Cinema has been one of the most interesting

discoveries of twentieth century. It is not only one of the most powerful medium of

expression and communication but also has dominated the life of the masses.

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Cinema has grown from the fairground to the most sophisticated form of mass

entertainment. Cinema has developed into a complex industry, thereby ushering a growth

of advertising, music and other industries. Cinema has constantly influenced society and

culture and has been shaped by the events happening in society. Cinema can be the most

effective form of political communication apart from being a powerful entertainment.

The cinema industry is intricately linked to the audience and both share a symbiotic

relationship. Cinema also acts as a vehicle for catharsis to the audience. Culture plays an

important role in understanding cinema in the era of globalisation and mass consumption.

It also 'helps in understanding the globalisation process of the film industry and a

subsequent change in the form, theme and technique of cinema. The politics of film is

essential to understand the latent ideological import of the film because the medium could

be subtle without being manifestly subtle. The theoretical underpinnings of various

filmmakers and film theoreticians also help us understand film in more than one

perspective and alter the viewing experience and more than that understand the

philosophy that lies in the magic called cinema.

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