But the contention here is not about the possibility of a Dalit woman being rootless or occupying liberal spaces. It may be noted that this rootlessness has always been a privilege asserted by caste elites, for they don’t have to - or choose not to - bear the burden of their community or family. In Natchathiram Nagargiradhu, Ranjith has experimented by relocating a young Dalit woman from the usual backdrop of an oppressive space to a utopian liberal one. She does not represent Dalit women, nor does her portrayal represent Dalit feminism. However, her portrayal - including the place she is at, the people she interacts with, and the vocabulary she engages in - compels me to strongly contend that Rene can just as easily be any other woman.

She is a model and a theatre artist who built herself up by challenging caste norms and discrimination. Rene, played by Dushara Vijayan, is portrayed as an assertive Ambedkarite woman who is fearless and independent. So let’s take a deeper look at how Natchathiram Nagargiradhu characterises Rene, its Dalit woman protagonist. With its unusual plot, the movie is undoubtedly a bold attempt at evoking discussions on caste and gender, which is precisely why it is crucial to critique it through a Dalit feminist lens. The group consists of artists from diverse castes, genders and sexualities, adding strength to the story that explores ‘contemporary love’. The film’s plot provides the space to democratically discuss issues such as the caste hierarchy, patriarchy, and caste-based ‘honour’ killings. Even in his latest film Natchathiram Nagargiradhu, which was released in the theatres in August and is now available for digital streaming, Ranjith - a pioneer in introducing the Dalit framework to Tamil cinema - attempts to approach a progressive plot premised on a Puducherry-based liberal arts theatre group with his signature anti-caste aesthetic.

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