Loosu ponnu explained

The loosu ponnu is a stock character in Tamil cinema, a girl who is portrayed as attractive but naïve and unintelligent. It is regarded as the equivalent of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl and dumb blonde stereotypes in the United States. The loosu ponnu trope became increasingly popular in 1990s Tamil cinema when the masculinity of the hero became severely overblown. It has since received criticism for being misogynistic and regressive.

History and terminology

According to critic Baradwaj Rangan, the loosu ponnu trope emerged in an era where Tamil filmmakers began casting North Indian women, who did not know Tamil, in leading roles; due to their lip syncing not being perfect (their lines would be dubbed over by others), wild gesticulation and their emotional reactions seeming unusual, "all of this ended up making them look like mad people".

Characteristics

Loosu ponnus are typically depicted as being bubbly,[1] naïve, childish, lacking professional ambition, having easily detachable ties with their families, and showing unquestioning devotion to heroic males once they fall in love with them. They are also depicted as angelic, in need of constant rescuing, and incapable of doing even simple things in life. Very often, their "cuteness" is directly proportional to how insane their actions may seem to viewers.

Examples

Known loosu ponnu characters in Tamil films are Anjali (Amala) from Agni Natchathiram (1988),[2] Mythili (Jyothika) in Manmadhan (2004),[3] Suji and Hema (Meera Jasmine) in Pudhiya Geethai (2003) and Sandakozhi (2005) respectively,[4] Haritha (Nayanthara) in Kalvanin Kadhali (2006), Hasini (Genelia D'Souza) in Santosh Subramaniam (2008), Anitha (Taapsee Pannu) in Arrambam (2013), Chitra Devipriya (Kajal Aggarwal) in All in All Azhagu Raja (2013),[5] Keerthana (Nazriya) in Raja Rani (2013 film), Yazhini (Hansika Motwani) in Maan Karate (2014), Shakila (Samantha) in 10 Endrathukulla (2015),[6] Sowmya (Aggarwal) in Paayum Puli (2015),[7] Priya (Motwani) in Uyire Uyire (2016),[8] Aarathu Aanandhi (Sai Pallavi) in Maari 2 (2018),[9] Vandhana (Sayyeshaa) in Ghajinikanth (2018),[10] and Padmini (Priyanka Arul Mohan) in Doctor (2021).[11] Keerthy Suresh has played such characters in films like Remo (2016)[12] and Thodari (2016).[13]

Other languages

Besides Tamil films, loosu ponnu characters were also noted in Telugu films (known as 'pichi pilla') with Shalini (Rakul Preet Singh) in Spyder (2017), Sukumari (Keerthy Suresh) and Suryakantham (Anu Emmanuel) in Agnyaathavaasi (2018), Samskruthi (Rashmika Mandanna) in Sarileru Neekevvaru (2020),[14] Genelia D' Souza in Orange (2010).[15]

Criticism

The loosu ponnu trope has received wide criticism for being misogynistic and regressive. Actress Madonna Sebastian has expressed her dislike for it, saying, "I think it is disrespectful and when people endorse it, even heroines, it becomes a dangerous trend."[16] Aishwarya Rajesh has consciously avoided playing such roles, citing her preference for "sensible" roles.[17]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rangan . Baradwaj . Baradwaj Rangan . 19 July 2018 . Southern Lights: Are Tamil-Speaking Heroines Doomed In Tamil Cinema? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200919150004/https://www.filmcompanion.in/opinion/tamil-opinion/southern-lights-are-tamil-speaking-heroines-doomed-in-tamil-cinema/ . 19 September 2020 . 8 December 2018 . Film Companion.
  2. Web site: Rangan . Baradwaj . Baradwaj Rangan . 20 September 2018 . Every Mani Ratnam Film, Ranked . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210830111723/https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/tamil-features/every-mani-ratnam-film-ranked/ . 30 August 2021 . 30 August 2021 . Film Companion.
  3. Web site: 14 November 2004 . Manmathan . dead . https://archive.today/20190728075611/https://www.sify.com/movies/manmathan-review-tamil-pclvCJjjefcad.html . 28 July 2019 . 28 July 2019 . Sify.
  4. News: 18 October 2018 . Sandakozhi 2 movie review: This Vishal film is a lazy rehash . . live . 7 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181103220247/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/sandakozhi-2-movie-review-vishal-5407750/ . 3 November 2018.
  5. Web site: 3 November 2013 . All in All Azhaguraja-A profoundly irritating film . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20210720060425/https://www.sify.com/movies/all-in-all-azhaguraja-a-profoundly-irritating-film-review-tamil-pcmbd9ijfdbgf.html . 20 July 2021 . 20 July 2021 . Sify.
  6. News: Rangan . Baradwaj . Baradwaj Rangan . 21 October 2015 . 10 Enradhukulla: A slipshod road movie . . live . 7 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171218180916/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/10-enradhukulla-a-slipshod-road-movie/article7790285.ece . 18 December 2017.
  7. News: Srinivasan . Sudhir . 4 September 2015 . Paayum Puli: A few good portions don't make a wholesome meal . . live . 7 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180113203233/http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/paayum-puli-a-few-good-portions-dont-make-a-wholesome-meal/article7616230.ece . 13 January 2018.
  8. News: Rangan . Baradwaj . Baradwaj Rangan . 2 April 2016 . Uyire Uyire: Still life . . live . 27 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190728080158/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/uyire-uyire-movie-review/article8424229.ece . 28 July 2019.
  9. News: Srivatsan . S. . 21 December 2018 . 'Maari 2' review: An overlong yet entertaining sequel . . live . 27 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190728080313/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/maari-2-review-an-overlong-yet-entertaining-sequel/article25798174.ece . 28 July 2019.
  10. News: Purushothaman . Kirubhakar . 3 August 2018 . Ghajinikanth Review: Interesting premise wasted by dull writing . . live . 7 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181207114248/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/ghajinikanth-review-interesting-premise-wasted-by-dull-writing-1304429-2018-08-03 . 7 December 2018.
  11. Web site: Ganeshan . Balakrishna . 9 October 2021 . Doctor review: Sivakarthikeyan's logic defying film is a thorough entertainer . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211009110922/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/doctor-review-sivakarthikeyan-s-logic-defying-film-thorough-entertainer-156313 . 9 October 2021 . 6 November 2021 . The News Minute.
  12. Web site: 2018 . Half-Yearly report: GV Prakash Kumar to Eswari Rao, best performances of 2018 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180807203115/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/photo-features/half-yearly-report-gv-prakash-kumar-to-eswari-rao-best-performances-of-2018/photostory/65244332.cms . 7 August 2018 . 7 December 2018 . The Times of India.
  13. Web site: Pillai . Sreedhar . 22 September 2016 . Thodari review: Dhanush's thriller is like a local train; it's slow and makes frequent stops . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180330195008/http://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/thodari-review-dhanushs-thriller-is-like-a-local-train-its-slow-and-makes-frequent-stops-3015908.html . 30 March 2018 . 7 December 2018 . Firstpost.
  14. Web site: K. . Janani . 11 January 2020 . Sarileru Neekevvaru Movie Review: Mahesh Babu film is utterly disappointing . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201102170426/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/sarileru-neekevvaru-movie-review-mahesh-babu-film-is-utterly-disappointing-1635966-2020-01-11 . 2 November 2020 . 10 January 2021 . India Today.
  15. Web site: Jeevi . 26 November 2010 . Telugu Movie review – Orange . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211116084654/http://www.idlebrain.com/movie/archive/mr-orange.html . 16 November 2021 . 10 December 2021 . Idlebrain.com.
  16. News: Sekhar . Arunkumar . 17 July 2018 . The Madonna Sebastian interview: 'I fell in love with music because of Tamil cinema' . . dead . 7 December 2018 . https://archive.today/20181207110054/http://cms.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2018/jul/17/the-madonna-sebastian-interview-i-fell-in-love-with-music-because-of-tamil-cinema-1844214.html . 7 December 2018.
  17. News: Rajendran . Sowmya . 24 April 2017 . I was told a dusky, Tamil speaking woman like me can't become heroine: Aishwarya Rajesh . . live . 7 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171119232300/http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/i-was-told-dusky-tamil-speaking-woman-me-cant-become-heroine-aishwarya-rajesh-60893 . 19 November 2017.

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