“Karnan” Internal Colonialism as the Symptom of Mimicry

Abstract

Mari Selvaraj’s Karnan represents internal colonialism—defined as regional disparities in socio-economic
development—as an element of mimicry. The fictional movie narrates the feud between two villages in Tamil Nādu and illustrates how mimicry of the British rule in the Subcontinent reinforces socio-economic disparities, exemplified by the lack of a bus stop in one of the two villages. First, the fictional movie is put back into its historical and real-life context of caste violence in Tamil Nādu. Second, the concept of mimicry is explained through Bhabha’s writings and legacy in postcolonial studies in the context of India and its caste system through the lens of Karnan. Then, the concept of internal colonialism is explored through the lack of mobility that Karnan and his fellow villagers experience in the movie. Finally, internal colonialism is integrated into Bhabha’s conceptualization of mimicry in postcolonial studies.