Everyday Kannagis: Traditional femininity in Tamil mega-serials

Tamil mega-serials revolve around various issues affecting women. The protagonist (mostly women) is portrayed as someone who is empowered and upholds the notion of traditional Tamil femininity. Using a qualitative content analysis of 30 episodes of two Tamil mega-serials, this article explores the portrayal of gender and femininity in Tamil mega-serials. The analysis identifies two main themes: violence, women’s bodies and traditional femininity; and the power of the chaste wife. In the first theme, violence is employed in Tamil serials to reinforce traditional femininity and to highlight the endurance of the protagonist. Such portrayals normalize women’s suffering as a marker of virtue, aligning with patriarchal expectations that valorize sacrifice as central to ideal womanhood. In the second theme, the power of the chaste wife epitomized by Kannagi in Chilappatikaaram is highlighted. Such portrayals emphasize the transformation of the chaste wife from being submissive and obedient to a powerful woman when her husband or his family is in jeopardy. Therefore, in serials, female protagonists are celebrated for their submissive behaviour, endurance, loyalty and moral strength while being positioned as ‘empowered’ which ensures that women’s agency remains tied to patriarchal values.