Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences . 9(1): January- March, 2018 61 ISSN 0975-6795 (Print) 2321-5828 (Online) DOI: 10.5958/2321-5828.2018.00011.6 Vol. 09| Issue-01| January -March 2018 Available online at www.anvpublication.org Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Home page www.rjhssonline.com RESEARCH ARTICLE Understanding Patriarchy through Characterization of Feminine Features in Films: A Semiotic Analysis of Sairat and Kabali A. K. Divakar 1 *, Dr. V. Natarajan 2 1 Research Scholar, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Periyar University, Salem, Tamil Nadu - 636011. 2 Research Supervisor, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Periyar University, Salem, Tamil Nadu - 636011 *Corresponding Author Email: dak280@gmail.com ABSTRACT: Caste has been an age-old problem in India and other Hindu countries. Caste has established itself through various rituals, food habits, isolation, patriarchy and many other ways. Controlling women, serves as one of keystone component of maintaining the caste system. This research article analyses two Dalit films to understand the component of women and portrayal of feministic characters in one Tamil film (Kabali) and one Marathi film (Sairat). These films have been chosen to understand the discourse of women and to discuss the portrayal and control of women in these films. Semiotic analysis is coupled with semantic and pragmatic analysis to understand the discourse of women. Sairat serves as a film, which portrays women in a comparatively different light from normal stereotypical patriarchal films. Whereas, Kabali despite being a Dalit film falls within the framework of normal Indian film, which offers very little space to women. Dalit literature is the literature of the oppressed. Dalit films are a part of Dalit literature, so they shoulder strong responsibility in proposing counter narratives to stereotypical views of women oppression in the society. Once Dalit narratives are able to break this rigid framework, then they might be able to indirectly attack the evils of caste system, through women empowerment. KEYWORDS: Woman oppression, Dalit literature, Portrayal of women, semiotic analysis of films, Caste and women. Received on 24.10.2017 Modified on 28.11.2017 Accepted on 22.12.2017 ©A&V Publications All right reserved Res. J. Humanities and Social Sciences. 2018; 9(1): 61-67. DOI: 10.5958/2321-5828.2018.00011.6 INTRODUCTION: Caste has been one of the most successful oppressive structures of the world, which has survived the test of time. Caste is not exclusive to India, but is widely associated with Hinduism, even though caste exists in other religion (concomitant with the spread of Hinduism), it is an undeniably a benchmark of the Hindu society. Some form of discrimination / division has existed in other early civilizations such as Egypt (through Land ownership), Sumerian, China, Japan, Roman, Israel, etc. but none has been as successful as the caste system of India. Though, nobody is able to trace the origin of caste accurately, several theories are