At the Crossroads of Erotic and Mainstream: The Two-phase Celebrity Stardom of Silk Smitha in Malayalam Cinema

The star discourse of Silk Smitha, the popular South Indian actress who became a sensation in the 1980s through erotic dance numbers and performances, shows the intricacies of female celebrity stardom in Indian cinema. This article examines the two-phase celebrity stardom of Silk Smitha as an erotic-mainstream figure and her contribution to the Malayalam film industry by highlighting her role in reconfiguring perceptions of glamour, sexuality and female stardom, through which she was assimilated into the cultural landscape of Kerala. Analysing contemporary discussions on Smitha’s stardom, reception and personal interviews, this article argues that the star text of Silk Smitha historically exemplified the idea of a female celebrity that subverts, substantiates, transcends and reinstates the cultural configurations centred around the myth of the ideal Malayali feminine.