Vol. 9 No. 2 (2024): General
Editorial
The June-December 2024 number of Samyukta is an experiment of sorts. Seven young scholars, who have proved their mettle as Interns in Samyukta Research Foundation (SRF) were invited to contribute to this number. The papers they submitted were aligned with the ongoing discussions in cultural theory at SRF.
Salomi J Kottoor submitted an original paper on meta-theoretical explorations of Cultural Memory Studies, drawing examples from Devaki Nilayangode’s 2011 memoir, Antharjanam: Memoirs of a Namboodiri Woman. It was indeed a challenging exercise to gain clarity on how to undertake a meta-theoretical reading and I must say Salomi accomplishes this with consummate elan.
This paper is followed by three papers on performance and performativity authored by Alina Joseph, A. Sreelakshmi and Archa Suresh respectively. The first of this triad, by Alina Joseph, explores the embodied politics of the dance of Chandralekha, a pioneering figure in contemporary Indian dance. Alina’s sensitive reading of both the politics and the poetics of Chandralekha’s oeuvre is a fine addition to the field of Performance Studies. Next we have an incisive reading of the recent Malayalam movie, Bramayugam by A. Sreelekshmi. Film Studies has now emerged as one of the important focal points in the understanding of thoughts, emotions and experiences. Sreelekshmi analyses the subtle interplay of caste, class and hegemonic masculinity in the movie, drawing from contemporary theoretical insights that have relevance across cultures. An informed reading of gendered censorship, both direct and indirect, in Sanjay Leela Bhansali Heeramandi by Archa Suresh delves into the intricacies of representation on OTT platforms. I would say that it was a daring attempt as Archa worked on this paper even as Heeramandi was being aired. Critically analysing shifting agency and cultural appropriation with the aid of current readings on popular culture, Archa’s paper invites readers to novel ways of appreciating the bold and the unconventional in screen space.
All the papers selected for this number foreground ways of reading that are new and fresh. I believe the younger generation of scholars are equipped with a rare sensibility to challenge stereotypes and spot the not so familiar. Moving beyond the borders of India, Varada P Nair reads Afterlives that covers decades in the lives of its three main characters, Khalifa, Afiya and Ilyas. Varada chooses to study this master narrative by Abdulrazak Gurnah, employing the theoretical premises of Hope Theory. One cannot of course wish away the sterling insights of Postcolonial or Feminist positions at this point of time. But Varada teases out the spectrum of hope in the lives of the deprived and the downtrodden, giving them hope to move on. This is a unique attempt and paves the way to re-read many age-old classics.
To continue the discourse on memory that runs through this number, Anna Thomas visits selected narratives on the civil war in Sri Lanka. As distinct from the staid retellings of war, violence and displacement, Anna discusses the concept of ‘replaced memory’ through three different types of memory - haptic, iconic and olfactory. These elements are deeply embedded in human memory; they lie dormant until triggered to life by an unsuspected event. Anna reinvents the term ‘replaced memory’ introduced by Ngugi wa Thiong’o, “as a singular idea that will serve as a crucial tool in the exploration of memory as an act of survival and identity formation."
This number of Samyukta concludes with a review article of the 2021 Pixar animated movie, Luca. Though not explicitly spelt out, the article examines the role of memory in constructing and reinforcing binaries in the hegemonic discourse of heterosexuality. Athulya goes on to discuss “queering the gaze” to “challenge the rigidity of normative structures”, including that of live-action cinema. This reinforces “the potential of animation as a queer medium”, a singular insight shared by Athulya. Though presented as a Review Article, Athulya’s writing has the gravitas of a research paper. The field of scholarship is changing at the speed of light at the moment. It is the mandate of a research publication to keep track of the major shifts in theory and praxis. We also take it upon ourselves the task of identifying and projecting emerging talents. We are certain that the team of seven scholars showcased in this number would aspire to reach the pinnacle of excellence in their fields.
G. S. Jayasree
31 December 2024
