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{{Use Indian English|date=November 2021}}
{{short description|Tamil cinema stock character}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}

The '''loosu ponnu''' ({{Langx|ta|லூசு பொண்ணு}}; {{translation|'crazy girl'}}) is a [[stock character]] in [[Tamil cinema]], a girl who is portrayed as attractive but naïve and unintelligent. It is regarded as the equivalent of the [[Manic Pixie Dream Girl]] and [[dumb blonde]] stereotypes in the United States.<ref name="BuzzFeed" /><ref name="common sense" /> The loosu ponnu [[Trope (cinema)|trope]] became increasingly popular in 1990s Tamil cinema when the [[masculinity]] of the hero became severely overblown. It has since received criticism for being [[misogynist]]ic and regressive.<ref name="retire" /><ref name="truth" />

== History and terminology ==
According to writer and critic [[Baradwaj Rangan]], the 'loosu ponnu' trope emerged in an era where Tamil filmmakers began casting [[Indo-Aryan peoples|North Indian]] women, who could not speak Tamil, in leading roles; due to their lip syncing not being perfect (their lines would be dubbed over by others), wild gesticulation and their emotional reactions seeming unusual, "all of this ended up making them look like mad people".<ref name="Arrambam" />

== Characteristics ==
Loosu ponnus are typically depicted as being bubbly,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rangan |first=Baradwaj |author-link=Baradwaj Rangan |date=19 July 2018 |title=Southern Lights: Are Tamil-Speaking Heroines Doomed In Tamil Cinema? |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/opinion/tamil-opinion/southern-lights-are-tamil-speaking-heroines-doomed-in-tamil-cinema/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919150004/https://www.filmcompanion.in/opinion/tamil-opinion/southern-lights-are-tamil-speaking-heroines-doomed-in-tamil-cinema/ |archive-date=19 September 2020 |access-date=8 December 2018 |website=[[Film Companion]]}}</ref> naïve, childish, lacking professional ambition, having easily detachable ties with their families, and showing unquestioning devotion to heroic males once they fall in love with them.<ref name="BuzzFeed" /> They are also depicted as angelic, in need of constant rescuing, and incapable of doing even simple things in life.<ref name="retire" /> Very often, their "cuteness" is directly proportional to how insane their actions may seem to viewers.<ref name="BuzzFeed" />

== Examples ==
Known loosu ponnu characters in Tamil films are:

{| class="wikitable" style="background:#ffffff;"
!Character
!Actress
!Film
!Ref.
|-
| Anjali || [[Amala Akkineni|Amala]] || ''[[Agni Natchathiram]]'' (1988)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rangan |first=Baradwaj |author-link=Baradwaj Rangan |date=20 September 2018 |title=Every Mani Ratnam Film, Ranked |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/tamil-features/every-mani-ratnam-film-ranked/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830111723/https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/tamil-features/every-mani-ratnam-film-ranked/ |archive-date=30 August 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021 |website=[[Film Companion]]}}</ref>
|
|-
| Suji || [[Meera Jasmine]] || ''[[Pudhiya Geethai]]'' (2003)
|
|-
| Mythili || [[Jyothika]] ||''[[Manmadhan (film)|Manmadhan]]'' (2004)<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 November 2004 |title=Manmathan |url=https://www.sify.com/movies/manmathan-review-tamil-pclvCJjjefcad.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128064140/http://www.sify.com/movies/manmathan-review-tamil-pclvCJjjefcad.html |archive-date=28 January 2017 |access-date=28 July 2019 |website=[[Sify]]}}</ref>
|
|-
| Hema || Meera Jasmine || ''[[Sandakozhi]]'' (2005)<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 October 2018 |title=Sandakozhi 2 movie review: This Vishal film is a lazy rehash |work=[[The Indian Express]] |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/sandakozhi-2-movie-review-vishal-5407750/ |url-status=live |access-date=7 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181103220247/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/sandakozhi-2-movie-review-vishal-5407750/ |archive-date=3 November 2018}}</ref>
|
|-
| Haritha || [[Nayanthara]] || ''[[Kalvanin Kadhali (2006 film)|Kalvanin Kadhali]]'' (2006)
|
|-
| Hasini || [[Genelia D'Souza]] || ''[[Santosh Subramaniam]]'' (2008)<ref name="indiatoday" />
|
|-
| Devi || [[Trisha Krishnan]] || ''[[Kuruvi]]'' (2008)
|
|-
| Jahnavi || Nayanthara || ''[[Villu (film)|Villu]]'' (2009)
|
|-
| Poornima || [[Tamannaah Bhatia]] || ''[[Sura (film)|Sura]]'' (2010)
|
|-
| Keerthana || [[Nazriya Nazim|Nazriya]] || ''[[Raja Rani (2013 film)|Raja Rani]]'' (2013)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2013/09/29/raja-rani-the-ex-files/|title=“Raja Rani”… The Ex Files|date=29 September 2013}}</ref>
|
|-
| Liyana || [[Chandini Sreedharan]] || ''[[Ainthu Ainthu Ainthu]]'' (2013)
|
|-
| Anitha || [[Taapsee Pannu]] || ''[[Arrambam]]'' (2013)<ref name="Arrambam" />
|
|-
| Chitra Devipriya || [[Kajal Aggarwal]] || ''[[All in All Azhagu Raja]]'' (2013)<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 November 2013 |title=All in All Azhaguraja-A profoundly irritating film |url=https://www.sify.com/movies/all-in-all-azhaguraja-a-profoundly-irritating-film-review-tamil-pcmbd9ijfdbgf.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720060425/https://www.sify.com/movies/all-in-all-azhaguraja-a-profoundly-irritating-film-review-tamil-pcmbd9ijfdbgf.html |archive-date=20 July 2021 |access-date=20 July 2021 |website=[[Sify]]}}</ref>
|
|-
| Yazhini || [[Hansika Motwani]] || ''[[Maan Karate]]'' (2014)<ref name="indiatoday" />
|
|-
| Ankitha || [[Samantha Ruth Prabhu]] || ''[[Kaththi]]'' (2014)
|
|-
| Sowmya || Kajal Aggarwal || ''[[Paayum Puli (2015 film)|Paayum Puli]]'' (2015)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Srinivasan |first=Sudhir |date=4 September 2015 |title=Paayum Puli: A few good portions don't make a wholesome meal |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/paayum-puli-a-few-good-portions-dont-make-a-wholesome-meal/article7616230.ece |url-status=live |access-date=7 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113203233/http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/paayum-puli-a-few-good-portions-dont-make-a-wholesome-meal/article7616230.ece |archive-date=13 January 2018}}</ref>
|
|-
| Shakeela || Samantha Ruth Prabhu || ''[[10 Endrathukulla]]'' (2015)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rangan |first=Baradwaj |author-link=Baradwaj Rangan |date=21 October 2015 |title=10 Enradhukulla: A slipshod road movie |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/10-enradhukulla-a-slipshod-road-movie/article7790285.ece |url-status=live |access-date=7 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171218180916/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/10-enradhukulla-a-slipshod-road-movie/article7790285.ece |archive-date=18 December 2017}}</ref>
|
|-
| Swetha || [[Shruti Haasan]] ||''[[Vedalam]]'' (2015)
|
|-
| Priya || Hansika Motwani || ''[[Uyire Uyire]]'' (2016)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rangan |first=Baradwaj |author-link=Baradwaj Rangan |date=2 April 2016 |title=Uyire Uyire: Still life |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/uyire-uyire-movie-review/article8424229.ece |url-status=live |access-date=27 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728080158/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/uyire-uyire-movie-review/article8424229.ece |archive-date=28 July 2019}}</ref>
|
|-
| Saroja || Keerthy Suresh || ''[[Thodari]]'' (2016)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pillai |first=Sreedhar |date=22 September 2016 |title=Thodari review: Dhanush's thriller is like a local train; it's slow and makes frequent stops |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/thodari-review-dhanushs-thriller-is-like-a-local-train-its-slow-and-makes-frequent-stops-3015908.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330195008/http://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/thodari-review-dhanushs-thriller-is-like-a-local-train-its-slow-and-makes-frequent-stops-3015908.html |archive-date=30 March 2018 |access-date=7 December 2018 |website=[[Firstpost]]}}</ref>
|
|-
| Kavya || [[Keerthy Suresh]] || ''[[Remo (film)|Remo]]'' (2016)<ref>{{Cite web |year=2018 |title=Half-Yearly report: GV Prakash Kumar to Eswari Rao, best performances of 2018 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/photo-features/half-yearly-report-gv-prakash-kumar-to-eswari-rao-best-performances-of-2018/photostory/65244332.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807203115/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/photo-features/half-yearly-report-gv-prakash-kumar-to-eswari-rao-best-performances-of-2018/photostory/65244332.cms |archive-date=7 August 2018 |access-date=7 December 2018 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>
|
|-
| Priya || [[Rakul Preet Singh]] || ''[[Theeran Adhigaram Ondru]]'' (2017)
|
|-
| Vandhana || [[Sayyeshaa]] || ''[[Ghajinikanth]]'' (2018)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Purushothaman |first=Kirubhakar |date=3 August 2018 |title=Ghajinikanth Review: Interesting premise wasted by dull writing |work=[[India Today]] |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/ghajinikanth-review-interesting-premise-wasted-by-dull-writing-1304429-2018-08-03 |url-status=live |access-date=7 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181207114248/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/ghajinikanth-review-interesting-premise-wasted-by-dull-writing-1304429-2018-08-03 |archive-date=7 December 2018}}</ref><ref name="indiatoday" />
|
|-
| "Aarathu" Anandhi || [[Sai Pallavi]] || ''[[Maari 2]]'' (2018)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Srivatsan |first=S. |date=21 December 2018 |title='Maari 2' review: An overlong yet entertaining sequel |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/maari-2-review-an-overlong-yet-entertaining-sequel/article25798174.ece |url-status=live |access-date=27 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728080313/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/maari-2-review-an-overlong-yet-entertaining-sequel/article25798174.ece |archive-date=28 July 2019}}</ref>
|
|-
| Padmini || [[Priyanka Arul Mohan]] || ''[[Doctor (2021 film)|Doctor]]'' (2021)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ganeshan |first=Balakrishna |date=9 October 2021 |title=Doctor review: Sivakarthikeyan's logic defying film is a thorough entertainer |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/doctor-review-sivakarthikeyan-s-logic-defying-film-thorough-entertainer-156313 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009110922/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/doctor-review-sivakarthikeyan-s-logic-defying-film-thorough-entertainer-156313 |archive-date=9 October 2021 |access-date=6 November 2021 |website=[[The News Minute]]}}</ref>
|
|}

=== Other languages ===
Besides Tamil films, loosu ponnu characters were also noted in [[Telugu cinema|Telugu]] films (known as 'pichi pilla'). Known characters in Telugu films are:

{| class="wikitable" style="background:#ffffff;"
!Character
!Actress
!Film
!Ref.
|-
| Jaanu || [[Genelia D'Souza]] || ''[[Orange (2010 film)|Orange]]'' (2010)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jeevi |date=26 November 2010 |title=Telugu Movie review – Orange |url=http://www.idlebrain.com/movie/archive/mr-orange.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116084654/http://www.idlebrain.com/movie/archive/mr-orange.html |archive-date=16 November 2021 |access-date=10 December 2021 |website=[[Idlebrain.com]]}}</ref>
|
|-
| Shalini || [[Rakul Preet Singh]] || ''[[Spyder (film)|Spyder]]'' (2017)
|
|-
| Sukumari || [[Keerthy Suresh]] || rowspan="2"|''[[Agnyaathavaasi]]'' (2018)<ref name="common sense" />
|
|-
| Suryakantham || [[Anu Emmanuel]]
|
|-
| Samskruthi || [[Rashmika Mandanna]] || ''[[Sarileru Neekevvaru]]'' (2020)<ref>{{Cite web |last=K. |first=Janani |date=11 January 2020 |title=Sarileru Neekevvaru Movie Review: Mahesh Babu film is utterly disappointing |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/sarileru-neekevvaru-movie-review-mahesh-babu-film-is-utterly-disappointing-1635966-2020-01-11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102170426/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/sarileru-neekevvaru-movie-review-mahesh-babu-film-is-utterly-disappointing-1635966-2020-01-11 |archive-date=2 November 2020 |access-date=10 January 2021 |website=[[India Today]]}}</ref>
|
|}

They were also noted in [[Kannada cinema|Kannada]] films with Nandini ([[Reeshma Nanaiah]]) in ''[[UI (film)|UI]]'' (2024).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/ui-review-two-hours-of-torture-that-passes-off-for-a-movie-that-youve-to-decode|title=UI review: Two hours of torture that passes off for a movie that you’ve to decode|first=Subha J|last=Rao|language=en|date=20 December 2024|access-date=23 December 2024}}</ref>

== Criticism ==
The loosu ponnu trope has received wide criticism for being misogynistic and regressive.<ref name="retire" /><ref name="truth" /><ref name="BuzzFeed" /> Actress [[Madonna Sebastian]] has expressed her dislike for it, saying, "I think it is disrespectful and when people endorse it, even heroines, it becomes a dangerous trend."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sekhar |first=Arunkumar |date=17 July 2018 |title=The Madonna Sebastian interview: 'I fell in love with music because of Tamil cinema' |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2018/jul/17/the-madonna-sebastian-interview-i-fell-in-love-with-music-because-of-tamil-cinema-1844214.html |url-status=live |access-date=14 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722175744/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2018/jul/17/the-madonna-sebastian-interview-i-fell-in-love-with-music-because-of-tamil-cinema-1844214.html |archive-date=22 July 2025}}</ref> [[Aishwarya Rajesh]] has consciously avoided playing such roles, citing her preference for "sensible" roles.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rajendran |first=Sowmya |date=24 April 2017 |title=I was told a dusky, Tamil speaking woman like me can't become heroine: Aishwarya Rajesh |work=[[The News Minute]] |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/i-was-told-dusky-tamil-speaking-woman-me-cant-become-heroine-aishwarya-rajesh-60893 |url-status=live |access-date=7 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171119232300/http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/i-was-told-dusky-tamil-speaking-woman-me-cant-become-heroine-aishwarya-rajesh-60893 |archive-date=19 November 2017}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Bimbo]]
* [[Ingénue]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="BuzzFeed">{{Cite web |last=Iswarya |first=V |date=29 September 2016 |title=What I Learned About Love And Women From Tamil Movies |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/iswaryav/things-i-learned-about-love-from-tamil-cinema |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181207093354/https://www.buzzfeed.com/iswaryav/things-i-learned-about-love-from-tamil-cinema |archive-date=7 December 2018 |access-date=7 December 2018 |website=[[BuzzFeed]]}}</ref>
<ref name="retire">{{Cite news |date=30 September 2018 |title=The 'loosu ponnu' in Tamil cinema and why she should retire |work=[[The News Minute]] |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/loosu-ponnu-tamil-cinema-and-why-she-should-retire-89332 |url-status=live |access-date=7 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251216044029/https://www.thenewsminute.com/web/20251216044029/https://www.thenewsminute.com/delve/loosu-ponnu-tamil-cinema-and-why-she-should-retire-89332 |archive-date=16 December 2025}}</ref>
<ref name="truth">{{Cite news |last=Rajendran |first=Sowmya |date=13 July 2018 |title=CS Amudhan's 'Tamizh Padam 2' speaks the truth about female characters in Kollywood |work=[[The News Minute]] |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/cs-amudhans-tamizh-padam-2-speaks-truth-about-female-characters-kollywood-84716 |url-status=live |access-date=7 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260103193521/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/cs-amudhans-tamizh-padam-2-speaks-truth-about-female-characters-kollywood-84716 |archive-date=3 January 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="Arrambam">{{Cite web |last=Rangan |first=Baradwaj |author-link=Baradwaj Rangan |date=4 November 2013 |title="Arrambam"... Mission to "mass" |url=https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/arrambam-mission-to-mass/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601005624/https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/arrambam-mission-to-mass/ |archive-date=1 June 2017 |access-date=7 December 2018 |website=Baradwaj Rangan}}</ref>
<ref name="indiatoday">{{Cite web |date=12 September 2018 |title=Genelia to Hansika: The 'loosu ponnu' heroines who have ruled Tamil films |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/photo/tamil-actresses-who-played-loosu-ponnu-genelia-hansika-1338459-2018-09-12/8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181207111834/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/photo/tamil-actresses-who-played-loosu-ponnu-genelia-hansika-1338459-2018-09-12 |archive-date=7 December 2018 |access-date=7 December 2018 |website=[[India Today]]}}</ref>
<ref name="common sense">{{Cite news |last=Dundoo |first=Sangeetha Devi |date=17 January 2018 |title=Women in Telugu cinema: Some common sense please? |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/agnyaathavaasi-being-a-case-in-point-a-look-at-dismal-roles-for-female-actors-in-telugu-cinema/article22456618.ece |url-status=live |access-date=7 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811003752/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/agnyaathavaasi-being-a-case-in-point-a-look-at-dismal-roles-for-female-actors-in-telugu-cinema/article22456618.ece |archive-date=11 August 2023}}</ref>
</references>

{{Stock characters}}

[[Category:Depictions of women in film]]
[[Category:Female stock characters]]
[[Category:Pejorative terms for women]]
[[Category:Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:Telugu cinema]]

Loosu ponnu - Revision history

Tox Digital at 07:53, 14 March 2026