Episode 20: Movie review “Meenakshi Sundareshwar," and why Bollywood can't be bothered to say her name right Nicely Done

In this episode, we review the 2021 Netflix movie, "Meenakshi Sundareshwar," by Dharma productions. The movie about a young married couple set in the town of Madurai, Tamil Nadu could've been an insight into a newer generation owning the rich culture of the region while navigating modern relationships. Instead, it played out as a cheap ploy to attract Indian audiences captivated by movies from South India by wooing them with stock-image level narrative of food, clothes, and of course, Rajnikanth.

We take the conversation forward by discussing some tropes that have plagued our cultures Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, and other parts of South India. And also, sometimes it's a 'veshti' not a 'lungi'. Also, once in the episode we say 'misappropriation', it should be 'cultural appropriation'. 

Bonus: Learn about our pet peeves while watching bad movies.

Related Links:

Indian Express on Meenakshi Sundareshwar: Meenakshi Sundareshwar is an inauthentic, stereotypical take on Tamil culture. So, what’s new?

DNA: Is Bollywood finally taking the 'Marathi manoos' seriously?