Negotiating Voice and Silence: Subaltern Agency in Mari Selvaraj’s Maamannan

This research paper examines the politics of voice and silence in the movie Maamannan, directed by Mari Selvaraj. The theoretical lens of Subaltern Studies is used to explore how the film presents subaltern agency within the structures of caste-based power. Employing qualitative textual and visual analysis, the paper highlights the important narrative moments, spatial orders, body language, pauses, and symbolic imagery to demonstrate how silence functions not merely as forced marginalization but as a tactical mode of resistance. The movie challenges contemporary movies by presenting the lead characters not as mere victims of oppression and voiceless within the dominant power hierarchy. The movie shows how subalterns can use silence not only as a sign of exclusion but as a form of dignity and democratic participation. Through his deft presentation, Mari Selvaraj highlights how movies can create new spaces for the Subalterns to voice their feelings, assert themselves, and rise to high positions of leadership. The research paper applies the theoretical insights of Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak and Antonio Gramsci to redefine subaltern speech as both a visible presence and a meaningful form of political action.
Keywords: Subaltern Agency, Voice, Silence, Resistance, Caste Representation.