Reframing the Familiar: Resistance, Representation, and Defamiliarisation in Contemporary Malayalam Jewellery Advertisements

Abstract

This article explores how certain Malayalam jewellery advertisements confront traditional gender roles through creative visual narratives. By examining Bhima's "Pure as Love", Kavitha Gold and Diamonds' "Choose Your Special", and Vinsmera's "Truly Irresistible", this study employs Viktor Shklovsky's notion of defamiliarisation in conjunction with theories of gender performativity and resistance to assess how these advertisements challenge standard depictions of beauty, identity, and family dynamics. These ads present an inclusive storyline encouraging audiences to reconsider stereotypes and accept diverse forms of gender expression by situating them within a capitalist context. The paper contends that these advertisements, despite their commercial nature, act as influential cultural texts that promote social discussion and resistance.