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The re-positioning of Tamil identity in the new political economy

M. Vijayabaskar and Andrew Wyatt

This paper reflects on a number of developments in the contemporary politics of Tamil Nadu as they relate to the politics of identity. We use the recently released Tamil film Sivaji: The Boss as a way of reflecting on recent developments in the politics of Tamil Nadu. We argue that the film is of significant interest as a text offering, even in its more mundane elements, insights into a range of issues of political and economic significance. The film reflects the cosmopolitan orientation of the Dravidian identity associated with upwardly mobile elements of a Non-Brahmin middle class.