Vol. 4, Issue 6, Part B (2018)

Abstract
Financial independence is one of the basic avenues of women empowerment. The career woman who leaves the confines of the home and looks to seek economic emancipation by making a mark in the world outside is considered a symbol of empowerment. Indian media especially films has portrayed women in myriad roles-as the sex object, the vamp, the mother, the wife, the daughter and also sometimes as the career woman. Gender portrayal in cinema is an oft discussed issue in Indian cinema. Objectification and commodification of women are routinely analysed. But what happens when a female is portrayed as more than a feast for the male gaze? What happens when she is portrayed as a woman with a mind of her own having a job and a career? Is the ‘career woman’ portrayed with greater justice and with more semblance to reality in Indian cinema? Or is she a mere sketch drafted to please the feminist? This study aims to seek answers to these questions by analysing the portrayal of career woman in contemporary Tamil cinema. This is a qualitative study that uses content analysis to understand if a female characters ‘career role’ is given significance in Tamil movies. It also seeks to study the way in which a career woman is portrayed in Tamil films and its seeks to look at the economic, social and personal perspectives on ‘the career woman’ roles in Tamil cinema. It also seeks to understand how male characters in the movie view the female character’s career. The study would shed light on the portrayal of career woman and would enable film-makers make discerning choices with the characterization of the career woman.