Kullanum Bharyayum

The article analyses filmic portrayals of dwarfism and their emasculating content. The starting point is characters played by the famous Malayalam actor with dwarfism, Ajay Kumar (also known as Guinness Pakru). Drawing on Erin Pritchard’s concept of “midgetism” and David Bolt’s reframing of the forbidden relationship, which culturally constructs a prohibition on the sexuality and intimacy of people with disabilities, the article explores humorous, stereotypical portrayals defined by infantilization and asexualization. In particular, intimate relationships between dwarf characters and their average sized partners are considered in a comparison between the movies Mela (1980) and Kullante Bharya (2013). The latter proves progressive in relation to heightism but less so in terms of “midgetism.”