Sartorial stories in Malayalam cinema: A theoretical study of audience interaction with film costumes

This study examines how audience perception and interpretation of film costumes in Malayalam cinema shape their overall experience and engagement. Drawing on Barthesian mythology, the analysis focuses on specific examples from the films Celluloid (2013) and Premam (2015). The article elucidates how costumes carry cultural and societal values, reflecting historical periods, characters’ professions and social status. It explores how audience demographics, such as age, gender and socio-economic background, may influence their reading of these costumes as myths. Through this analysis, the study aims to deepen the understanding of the intricate interplay between costume design, narrative, cultural representation and audience engagement in Malayalam cinema. The audience’s engagement with the sartorial stories conveyed through costumes is central to the study. The article argues that Malayalam cinema employs costumes as myths to shape the spectatorial experience, with the audience playing a pivotal role in reinforcing the myth-making process. This study contributes to the growing body of research on the cultural significance of costume design in cinema, particularly in the Malayalam film industry. It offers a nuanced understanding of how audiences interpret and interact with the sartorial narratives presented on-screen, shedding light on the complex interplay between costume, culture and audience engagement.