Dr Meena Saverimuttu

(she/they)

PhD

Publication

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Research

Since 2021, my publications focus on the under-examined field of Tamil film cultures and evidence my unique approach to the intersection between race, gender and audience studies in South Asian cinema. In 2020 I was invited to contribute a book chapter to Tamil Cinema in the Twenty-First Century (Routledge 2021). In 2023 I published a journal article, ‘Bigil Adicha Massu Da: Self-reflexivity and Masculinity in Bigil (2019),’ in Bioscope: South Indian Screen Studies in 2023.

Rajinikanth, Self Reflexivity and The Tamil Star as Paratext

My upcoming monograph is due to be published as part of Bloomsbury's Asian Celebrity and Fandom Studies series in April 2025. The book argues that the inherent self-reflexivity of contemporary Tamil masala films ‘entangles’ stars with film texts to such an extent that they can be considered and read as paratexts. Taking ‘Super Star’ Rajinikanth as the primary case study, the book surveys various films from Rajinikanth’s career, unpacking the many ways in which genre and nostalgia shape contemporary stars. I conceptualise the Tamil star as a cumulative paratext, which is constituted from the identities of both the on- and off-screen star across various films and over many years. Drawing on ethnographic fan observations, the book notes the ways in which Rajinikanth’s films are structured to 'invite' audiences to engage with their prior knowledge of the star as paratext; further enriching the cinematic experience.

Asia-Pacific Fandom, Screen Media and Home

My other ongoing project is a collection titled, Asia-Pacific Fandom, Screen Media and Home, co-edited with Dr Jane Simon (Macquarie University, Sydney). The collection, which brings together scholars from Australia, Japan, India, the Philippines, Thailand, the UK, and USA, features a range of contributors examining screen media and fandom from across the Asia Pacific. The collection highlights the home as a specifically underlooked space in which fan acts and materiality can be observed.  My own contributions to the book will include a chapter, in collaboration with Dr Jane Simon, which explores performance and everyday fandom fan acts in the works and exhibition of Cop Shiva's Tamil Cinema inspired series 'I love MGR.'

Biography

I am Eelam Tamil and was born in Sydney, and raised in Canberra Australia. I completed my bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees at Macquarie University, Sydney. After this, I taught film and communications subjects at both Macquarie and University of Technology, Sydney.

I have presented my research across various national and international forums in both research and public facing contexts. I also pursue opportunities to communicate my research outcomes with the broader Tamil community. I have been invited to present my research by the international Tamil Reads reading group, which has members in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Further, I was asked to speak about Indian Cinema on the Stuck in Between Podcast, a podcast about diasporic Australian experiences.