Speaking gender: A comparative discourse analysis of transgender representation in Malayalam and Telugu cinema

The representation of transgender identities in Indian cinema has historically been shaped through visual stereotypes, symbolic marginalization, and narrative simplifications. Although cinematic portrayals of transgender persons have increasingly gained scholarly attention, the role of language in constructing these identities remains relatively unexplored. This article examines the linguistic representation of transgender characters in selected Malayalam and Telugu films, focusing on how cinematic dialogue functions as a discursive site where gender, identity, and power are negotiated. Employing Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) alongside insights from Queer Linguistics, the study undertakes a qualitative comparative analysis of four films: Njan Marykutty and Chaand Pottu from Malayalam cinema, and Super Deluxe (Telugu dubbed version) and Kanchana (Telugu dubbed version) from Telugu cinema.

The analysis focuses on three major linguistic dimensions: naming and address practices, discursive functions of dialogue, and agency in speech. Particular attention is paid to the use of honorifics, slurs, euphemisms, ridicule, sympathy, moral judgement, and self-assertion. The findings reveal contrasting regional tendencies in transgender representation. Malayalam cinema increasingly demonstrates empathetic discourse and greater linguistic agency, enabling transgender characters to articulate their own identities. Telugu cinema, while showing signs of transformation, often continues to rely on comic exaggeration, marginalizing speech, and contradictory discursive patterns. The study argues that cinematic discourse not only reflects dominant social attitudes toward transgender communities but also actively contributes to reinforcing or challenging normative understandings of gender. By foregrounding language as a central component of cinematic representation, this article contributes to sociolinguistic, discourse, and queer studies within Indian cinema.