I1996 film by Shankar IndianCrazy Mohan’s character threatens to expose corruption through a national newspaper, while the film’s lead character later hijacks a television station to send a scathing anti-corruption message. The same filmmaker filmed one of Tamil cinema’s most iconic on-screen television debates in 1999. MudhalvanIn 2014, we saw Vijay holding a trend-setting press conference in the climax of AR Murugadoss’ film. KaththiAnd now Shankar is back with its sequel. IndianIn which a gang of keyboard warriors expose corruption through social media.
Much has been said about the advent of social media over the last 10 years, when platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram rapidly gained popularity among South Asians. It would be fair to call these platforms man-made beasts, these platforms have cast a long, dark shadow over our lives – they can now even make or break governments – and have, therefore, made their way onto the silver screen.
Let’s look at how Tamil filmmakers have incorporated social media into their stories; from replacing news media as a medium to address the audience, to using it as a means to connect plot points.
Using social media as just ‘media’
Using the news media as a whistleblower has long been a favourite trope among Tamil filmmakers. Remember how Taapsee Pannu’s reporter character exposed the bulletproof jacket scam. ArrambamThe power of the fourth wall of democracy is often used to mobilise public opinion, which puts pressure on the authorities, as in the case of Attlee and Vijay. TheriActor turned politician Vijay has many movies like Tamil, KaththiAnd Mersal Press conferences have been used to convey a message to the audience, without breaking the fourth wall; this is a metaphor that can be seen as an evolution supernatural power-like or citizen– Like the speech given by the hero in court.
Now, what is the role of social media here? Since the late 2010s, the sensational reveal in the pre-climax shows social media as a part of ‘media’, a homogenous mix of all mediums where news can be consumed. In the 2018 film GovernmentVijay speaks directly to the camera without breaking the fourth wall, as he is shown talking via Facebook Live with live reactions appearing on the screen. Rame Andalum Ravane Andalum People are seen glued to their TV screens, or on YouTube and Facebook, watching the sensational turn of events.
A scene from ‘Sarkar’ | Photo Courtesy: Sun NXT
Social media as a storytelling tool
Notably, the younger generation of directors, who have grown up closely watching the boom of social media, have found new ways to incorporate these mediums as a tool for their storytelling. These platforms are naturally featured in films that warn you of the dark, ugly sides of this technology. Lens He falls into a trap set by the antagonist through a fake Facebook account. P.S. Mithran irumbu thirai warned about the consequences of large-scale sharing of personal information on social media, while Adai He denounced the toxic social media-driven prank culture by showing what lengths YouTube channels stoop to create content.
Interestingly, Dhanush’s 2014 film, Velai Illa LeaseholderIt was one of the first big star films that harnessed the power of social media in an efficient way; the film showed how Facebook’s group feature could be used to unite or organize like-minded people.
A scene from ‘Velai Illa Pattadhari’ | Photo Credit: Sun NXT
Writers have also used social networking sites to connect plot points, such as in Dhanush’s directorial debut where an elderly man finds his long-lost love through Facebook. Pa PaandiIn Nithilan Swaminathan’s debut film, Kurangu BommaiA Facebook post by a man about finding a lost bag takes an unexpected turn. AruviAn HIV patient sends an appeal for love to his friends through a video message on Facebook. Some romance movies have also been made such as love today Who has admirably shown how the relationships of the young generation are flourishing through these platforms.
As a quick fix to aid writing
However, top-hat filmmakers are still understanding the social and cultural implications of such technological advancements. Yes, in some stories, such as Rame Andalum Ravane Andalum Or Ka Pai RanasingamWhistleblowing through the news and social media may be the only option for powerful heroes to help. But you get a little tired of how most films use this as an excuse for inadequate writing, sometimes as a means to a quick solution. It’s also clichéd and superficial to say that simply highlighting an issue on social media is enough to bring about a change in real life.
In indian 2For instance, Shankar’s use of hashtag trends is downright lazy; this is a film that conclusively states a one million tweet hashtag as the voice of a nation!
A private YouTube channel that jumps to conclusions without proper investigation is labelled good citizen reporting. A 106-year-old vigilante active on social sites decides to come out of retirement, not when millions of crimes were talked about in all these decades, but only when his identity is revealed as the hashtag #ComeBackIndian. Apart from Senapathi’s vigilante justice and his solution to corruption that sparks a wildfire online, the film misses out on a briefing on at least one practical, real-world solution.
Looking at how Tamil films have used these platforms to push social issues, it is important to understand that the results of online movements are ephemeral. Social media can consolidate and present viewpoints – like the common man’s solution to corruption – but projections alone cannot have any direct impact unless they lead to changes in laws, public opinion or the larger system.
Why is this medium underutilized in Tamil cinema?
Even Goundamani’s comedy couldn’t stay away from social media – as was evident in 2016 Enakku Veru Engum Kilaigal Kidayathu — but Tamil cinema is still not willing to use social media as a narrative tool, except for these aforementioned uses and exceptions. Even realistic biopics have chosen characters who seem unaware of how social media affects their lives — making you wonder if these films themselves are a way for a storyteller to deal with the effects of social media, creating a world that is devoid of it.
For many such reasons, these innovations are only used superficially in our films. Even in Hindi cinema, we have seen titles that attract media attention, or get exposed on social media, and then in the final showdown.
More recently, Attlee continued his policy of using the media as an anti-establishment weapon. young. However, there have been titles such as where have we been lost And love sex aur dhokha 2 in Hindi, or Search, missing, Ingrid goes west,not good And Mainstream in English, which has shed light on relevant topics such as influencer culture, cancel culture, and the new age phenomenon ‘stardom via social media’.
Perhaps there is a hesitation in watching a film that is entirely based on a computer screen, and hence Tamil cinema is yet to make films with a ‘screen-life’ like Malayalam. See you again soon or english title Search, host And Unfriended: Dark Web,
A scene from ‘See You Soon’ | Photo Credit: Prime Video
except like a series FingersMainstream Tamil films have not attempted to delve deeper into the psychological effects of people growing up in the age of social media, where online personalities and their followers directly determine one’s self-esteem.
In conclusion, while it is admirable how everyday technology has seen so much evolution on screen, it is time to not see it as just a means to an end to the story but to accept it for what it is.
