The Black-and-White World of Non-Residential Indians In Malayalam Films
ROLE: Graphic Designer & Researcher
CLIENT: MA Research Project/LCC
Selective Recording is an ongoing, independently developed database project that originated during my postgraduate studies at UAL. The first edition is a research-led publication indexing Malayalam films that portray NRIs (Non-Residential Indians) at the extreme ends of the socio-economic platform, framing their experiences and interactions with the Gulf countries in the black-and-white representation of dream versus nightmare. Incorporating a factual tone, the publication intended to scrutinise and highlight the limited archetypes employed by Malayalam filmmakers when depicting Gulf-based NRIs by analysing films from 2000 to 2024 (using thirteen films as a case study). Designed for both linear and non-linear reading, each chapter offers a distinct entry point into the research.
I led all aspects of the project, including researching the stigma and misconceptions around NRIs and Gulf countries and understanding the repetitive archetypes associated with the community. Unlike previous approaches focusing on visual scenes, this project analyses scripts and dialogues, advocating not to challenge existing portrayals but to push for a more nuanced representation of both NRIs and the Gulf.
Jump to the case study
This project was well-received and I delivered a talk at A Line Which Forms A Volume's (ALWFAV) symposium held at the London College of Communication on the research methodologies adopted in developing this publication.
The Black-and-White World of Non-Residential Indians In Malayalam Films
[Case Study]
Of the several countries preferred by Indian expats, the GCC countries* have been one the favoured ones, especially by South Indians. These countries maintain a large Indian workforce employed in various sectors ranging from blue-collar roles (domestic workers, construction workers, etc) to white-collar roles (administrative) and as entrepreneurs.
Out of all the Indian film industries, Malayalam (language used in Kerala) films most frequently depict the Gulf-based NRI community, reflecting the high preference for Middle Eastern countries by the Kerala migrants. Creating a database of various films, I noted a recurring typecast taking place in terms of depicting Malayali (natives of Kerala) NRIs residing in the Gulf. These characters are, in most films, depicted as ‘labour workers/servants’ or ‘extremely wealthy men/businessmen’, thereby portraying only them at the extreme ends of the socio-economic spectrum. Furthermore, the country–represented as a character–is mostly portrayed as a ‘haven and benevolent’ or ‘haunting presence’ (these terms were adopted from a research paper titled Imagining The Middle East: Migration And Malayalam Cinema by Venkatesan and James, 2022. Terms are later refined)
This selective representation creates misconceptions that life in these regions and NRI experiences can go one of two ways– The Malayali Dream versus The Malayali Nightmare; very much similar to the iconic American Dream.
Although several Kerala migrants are employed in blue-collar industries, there is a significantly large community leading comfortable (neither luxurious nor austere) lives which is, seldom depicted in these films. It limits the protagonist to having either horrible experiences portraying suffering (nightmare) or fruitful experiences portraying happiness (dream). Although few films address a middle ground, most still rely on black-and-white representations of wealth vs. poverty or success vs. hardship. While the portrayals in these films are far from false, such limited representations of NRIs foster a particular perception among the viewers.
Using this research, the project is a direct response to the following questions:
How does the Malayalam film industry’s portrayal of
Gulf-based NRIs and Middle Eastern countries,
through selective archetypes, shape perceptions of
these regions and communities?
In what ways do visuals and dialogue influence how
the countries and the NRI community in the Gulf are
represented?
*GCC or Gulf countries refer to the 6 countries included in the Gulf
Corporation Council, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia
and the United Arab Emirates.
The database is limited to films that include protagonists who met the following criteria–
a) Depict protagonists that either migrated to or in the
process of migrating to one of the Middle Eastern
Countries.
b) At least half or the entire film must have been shot in the
Arab country being depicted.
c) The country depicted has to serve a purpose in the
narrative of the film.
Intending to allow for multiple entry points into this research, a numerical system is incorporated to identify each film. All thirteen are identified by a number that is assigned in the first chapter, which is then referenced in the other chapters of the book. All chapters apart from the third and fourth refer the films by the ‘Record Number’, with films that are similar in nature listed below as a cross-reference. It also employs a colour coding to differentiate between the negative and positive portrayals using fluorescent orange to highlight the negative portrayals and teal for the positive portrayals.
The publication intends to scrutinise and highlight the limited archetypes employed by Malayalam filmmakers in this representation. The adopted visual language is very analogue with a factual and documental tone of voice. Chapters are differentiated by coloured paper, with each serving as a different entry point into this research and allowing for both linear and non-linear reading.
CHAPTER ONE
Detailing the film summaries, including details about the main protagonist, the country depicted, where the film narrative was derived from and few sentences about the plot.
A document structure was adopted to convey the content, employing a template for the text which ensured each sentence begin in the same manner. This approach reinforced the factual tone of voice of the book. Also included is a portrait of the main protagonist’s face, intended to appear as a texture on the spread.
The primary content of this research was the dialogues used to reinforce the negative versus positive experiences and portrayal of both the characters and the countries. Incorporating the scripts layout, this chapter consists of all the dialogues that relate to the Malayali Dream and Malayali Nightmare archetypes. The chapter begins with the Malayali Nightmare archetype films and organised chronologically by year of release.
The dialogues are written in the screenplay format, describing the scene as accurately as possible. The character’s name is depicted in upper-case with centre alignment. If the name of the character is unknown, a random title was assigned such as Man One or Aunty One, etc. Under each character’s name, the language in which the dialogue was spoken is mentioned– unless it was in Malayalam. Other languages included English, Tamil, Hindi and Arabic. All the dialogues were transcribed and translated for this layout as accurately as possible.
Most films have several extracts, and are differentiated by sorting them to various clips (similar to scene 1 in screenplays). Each extract begins with a description of the scene taking place, and is followed by the dialogue interchange.
This chapter lists all the filmmakers involved in the production of the films referred to in this publication. Filmmakers include directors, screenwriters, producers and vital members of the cast. Using the format of a record index, this chapter lists all the filmmakers alphabetically and records the films that they have been involved in.
CHAPTER FOURThis chapter lists the limited professions depicted in the films. Most of the films depicted the protagonists employed in the blue-collar sector as domestic workers, servants, construction workers, etc. or as wealthy businessmen. Very few of the films depict the protagonist as anything else like doctors, admin assistants, etc.
This layout is similar to the previous chapter, listing the professions on one side with the films that depict that profession on the other.
The final chapter consists of the several desert scenes depicted in the films. In almost all the chosen films, they depict a scene in the desert wherein the protagonist either encounters revelations and epiphanies coupled with joy or their attempts at escape from the Gulf country. The desert is often portrayed as a metaphor for entrapment and suffering or a place to enjoy and have fun.
This chapter consists of the vital desert scenes within the films, depicting the ones which connote to The Malayali Nightmare. These scenes depict protagonists lost and roaming the desert seeking to escape from the land. In The Malayali Dream images, the desert scenes depict protagonists having fun engaging in games and fun activities in the desert or a moment of peace.
The chapter first depicts the negative scenes prior to the positive scenes and doesn’t specify which scene is which, leaving it to the readers to interpret on their own.
The images are treated in the two-colour tone of Fluorescent Orange and Teal.
The entire publication is designed using Franklin Gothic and Bookman Antique typefaces.
Franklin Gothic serves as the primary typeface, while Bookman Antique is used secondarily to highlight key words, Record Numbers and specific dialogues. Both typefaces were chosen for their visually documental quality, evoking the straightforward, factual tone of official records, forms and databases. The use of a serif typeface like Bookman Antique to emphasise key terms reinforces the black-and-white representation associated with Gulf-based NRIs. Together, the two typefaces establish a clear, objective visual language that supports the publication’s archival and research-driven approach.
Production
By keeping the usage of inks consistent within the book, the intent was to emphasise the importance of each chapter while allowing for both linear and non-linear reading.
RISO INKS
Fluorescent Orange– Images in Chapter Five and highlighting key words, phrases and record numbers that conveyed The Malayali Nightmare archetype.
Teal– Images in Chapter Five and highlighting key words, phrases and record numbers that conveyed The Malayali Dream archetype.
White– Images in Chapter One.
Hunter Green– Basic text, folios, etc. Applied to the overall voice of the publication.
During experimentation and research, I noted that the visa stamps for immigrants were differentiated by the use of certain coloured paper. Adapting this approach, I decided to differentiate the chapters by coloured papers similar.
Maintaining the serious tone, the book was bound using perfect binding with a Swiss cover, allowing it to open more easily and lay flat for improved readability.