(wl-1706)-Thoughts on the Titular Refrain and Lyrical Subtext in Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey

The article analyses the use of songs in the Malayalam film Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey (JJJJH) (Das 2022) to establish the form and tone of satire. Even though the film is not a musical, the article argues that music sequences are essential for the narrative and cater to its reconfiguration of gendered subjectivities. Songs assist the film’s subtle, humorous take on the grim subject of domestic violence. The article relies on B. Shahal’s idea of songs as polysemantic “presences” that transcend their linguistic and referential meanings (2023). The songs in JJJJH map the narrative movement through allusion and parody and by becoming a lyrical subtext for the film’s meaning-making. This lyrical play also allows the film to navigate its portrayal of violence/ “self-defence” as a counter to domestic abuse and placing the responsibility on the survivor. This focused analysis of the play and placement of songs in JJJJH stems from the relevance of film songs in constituting and influencing Indian popular culture and memory.