Archaeology, Gender and Indian Tamil Films

Abstract

This article analyses the depiction of archaeology and archaeologists in contemporary popular Tamil films made in India, including a focus on the gender portrayal of archaeologists in two films in particular - one an adventure film depicting archaeological activity and the other a romance film involving a male archaeologist. Content analysis shows that both films portray some similarities in how archaeology is presented and that male and female archaeologists are shown as professionals, but that the female archaeologist is still presented for, and objectified through, the male gaze. The paper contributes to the understanding of how archaeologists are portrayed in non-Western films, particularly among films produced in India.