Volume VI Special Issue VI September 2026

Name of Author : Anusha U

Title of the paper : Folklore in Bramayugam: Subaltern Resistance and Uncanny paradigms

Abstract: Modern cinema has emerged as a powerful tool for voicing the silence of the oppressed. Bramayugam 2024, directed by Rahul Sadasivan falls under this category. It mirrors the suppressed voices ,setting in the background of a feudal society of 17th century Malabar. The story narrates around the structure of caste hierarchy. With the folkloric diety, Chathan ,as the main antagonist, the cinema is a bold move about the power structure and oppression ,all revolving around an aristocratic mana. The folklore is taken into consideration while depicting the age old fantasy before the audience. But the narrative shifts itself into subaltern struggles and uncanny authorization. The film has its stand with two other subaltern characters who suffer between the aristocratic norms and the survival of existence. With the power hierarchy reshaping and shifting within them, the film is a close watch on these paradigms. The whole film revolves around a mana ,that stands as a monument of power hegemony rather than a upper class structure. The inhabitants of mana suffer within themselves during the course of film showing that any hegemonic suppression can lead to power shift and psychological trauma.

Keywords : Caste, folklore, hegemony, subaltern, power, resistance, uncanny

DOI :

Page Number : 62-66