A Critical Review of Peranbu: Disability, Caregiving, and Identity within Indian Sociocultural Frameworks

Abstract The current study critically analyses the Tamil film “Peranbu” (2019) directed by Ram, from the perspectives of disability and caregiving and identity within Indian sociocultural contexts. In contrast to usual representations in Indian films, Peranbu creates a sincere, compassionate depiction of Amudhavan, the father, with his severely disabled daughter Paapa. The film navigates complex emotional dynamics alongside social barriers and psychological concerns that arise in caregiving situations as it depicts the daily experiences of disability. The film breaks conventional gender norms, existing societal obstacles, and disability stigma while simultaneously presenting authentic human experiences of disabled individuals. The layered presentation combined with real-to-life character representation enables Peranbu to establish itself as a vital teaching tool that promotes understanding of inclusion and mental health care. The review demonstrates how movies function as a transformational tool to generate positive changes in disability rights acceptance and caring practices in India.