Representing Paniya Marginality in Kenjira: A Film Analysis

Athira P T

doi:10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i06.020

Title: Representing Paniya Marginality in Kenjira: A Film Analysis
Authors: Athira P T
Journal: International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research (IJSSER) ISSN: 2455-8834 Volume: 11 Issue: 6 Publication Date: June 2026 DOI: 10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i06.020
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Athira P T Research Scholar, Sree Narayana College, kollam, University of Kerala
MLA 8 P T, Athira. "Representing Paniya Marginality in Kenjira: A Film Analysis." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, vol. 11, no. 6, June 2026, pp. 2756-2762, doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i06.020. Accessed June 2026. APA 6 P T, A. (2026, June). Representing Paniya Marginality in Kenjira: A Film Analysis. Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, 11(6), 2756-2762. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i06.020 Chicago P T, Athira. "Representing Paniya Marginality in Kenjira: A Film Analysis." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research 11, no. 6 (June 2026), 2756-2762. Accessed June, 2026. https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i06.020.
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ABSTRACT: Manoj Kana’s work, 'Kenjira', reflects the real-life issues of the Paniya community in Kerala. His directorial work explores the root cause of their marginality. His narration clearly points out that their challenges in life such as unemployment, indebtedness, gender exploitation and landlessness are a historical reflection. Casteism and its institution in society could do the worst in its different dimension to the indigenous communities, and that is the main frame of this work. Though other structural elements are also there to point out, this work mainly focused on this version. The use of the Paniya language as the medium and paniya community members as the cast in it places this movie as more explorative in academic realm. This study tries to focus on a sociological understanding that discusses the isolated and alienated life of the Paniya community in the Wayanad district of Kerala. Thus, a post- colonial analysis will help to understand how the voices of paniya has been silenced over the years, the historical construction of ‘paniya identity’ and thereby the exclusion that led to their perpetual marginality. Apart from this, representation of marginalised people like this in a movie could reflect the changes that happening in Malayalam cinema.

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