Nagaraj15 at 22:21, 26 April 2026

2026-04-26T22:21:37Z

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{{short description|Indian actress}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Malini Jeevarathnam
| birth_place = [[Paramakudi]], Tamil Nadu, India
| occupation = Actor, film director
| yearsactive = 2017–present
}}

'''Malini Jeevarathnam ''' is an Indian documentary film director, who primarily works in [[Tamil Nadu]]. They are known for their acting and documentary work on LGBTQ+ issues.

== Personal life ==
Malini Jeevarathnam was born in Paramakudi, [[Tamil Nadu]] Ramanathapuram district. They studied Master's in Media Arts from [[Loyola College, Chennai]] and assisted [[Pa. Ranjith]] on his movie [[Madras (film)|Madras]], and in 2016 film [[Aruvi]], directed by [[Arun Prabu Purushothaman]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rajendran |first=Sowmya |date=18 January 2018 |title=Misconception that only cities have lesbian women: Malini on 'Ladies and Gentlewomen' |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/misconception-only-cities-have-lesbian-women-malini-ladies-and-gentlewomen-74946 |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=14 October 2020 |title=Malini Jeevarathnam: On Self-respect, Queerness and Finding her Feet in Chennai |url=https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/malini-jeevarathnam-on-self-respect-queerness-and-finding-her-feet-in-chennai/ |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=Silverscreen India |language=en-US |archive-date=21 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240521170835/https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/malini-jeevarathnam-on-self-respect-queerness-and-finding-her-feet-in-chennai/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Career ==
Inspired by Ranjith's progressive ideas and the support from the film crew, they decided to come out as a lesbian, a decision that profoundly influenced their personal and professional life.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ayyappan |first=Aathira |date=30 October 2019 |title=Why does queer filmmaker Malini Jeevarathnam obsessively make movies on LGBT issues? |url=https://www.edexlive.com/news/2019/Oct/30/why-does-queer-filmmaker-malini-jeevarathnam-obsessively-make-movies-on-lgbt-issues-8833.html |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=EdexLive |language=en}}</ref> They have done multiple short films around queerness in Tamil.

===Ladies and Gentlewomen===
With this motivation, they made their directorial debut with the 2017 documentary [[Ladies and Gentlewomen]] which talked about love, life, and suicide among lesbians. This venture was supported and produced by Pa. Ranjith.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vijaykumar |first=Vaishali |date=7 September 2020 |title=Finding life in a Queer-friendly city |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2020/Sep/07/finding-life-in-a-queer-friendly-city-2193343.html |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

This documentary has received Best Documentary awards at the Norway Tamil Film Festival, nominated for an award at the Pune International Queer Film Festival Out & Loud, and received many other accolades around the world.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rajendran |first=Sowmya |date=18 January 2018 |title=Misconception that only cities have lesbian women: Malini on 'Ladies and Gentlewomen' |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/misconception-only-cities-have-lesbian-women-malini-ladies-and-gentlewomen-74946 |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=13 February 2018 |title=Hearts that don’t follow rules |url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/hearts-that-dont-follow-rules/article22741980.ece |access-date=3 July 2024 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

===Why So Straight?===

Why So Straight is a short film that briefly explores the life of a queer artist named Ameya, from Pune. Despite its brevity, the film excels in instilling hope and showcasing sensitivity to uniqueness and gender fluidity.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mirra |first=Jaya Gomathi |date=28 July 2022 |title=Neon Lights and a Revolution of Joy: On the documentary Why So Straight? |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/features/2022/Jul/28/neon-lights-and-a-revolution-of-joy-on-the-documentary-why-so-straight-33190.html |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=Cinema Express |language=en}}</ref> Balancing love, celebration, and acceptance with pain, rage, and estrangement, it offers a nuanced portrayal of queer experiences.

The film premiered at Medai Stage in Chennai earlier this year during a private event organized by filmmaker and producer Pa Ranjith.<ref>{{Cite news |title="குயர் படங்கள் அடுத்த 10 ஆண்டுகளில் அதிகம் வரும்" – மாலினி ஜீவரத்தினம் |url=https://www.bbc.com/tamil/india-60544406 |access-date=3 July 2024 |work=BBC News தமிழ் |language=ta}}</ref>

In 2023, they had also launched their production house Veytikaari Productions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jain |first=Rupam |date=22 June 2023 |title=Ticket 9 — Queer Art Festival celebrates the Pride Month |url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/culture/art/2023/Jun/22/ticket-9-queer-art-festival-celebrates-the-pride-month-50207.html |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=Indulgexpress |language=en}}</ref> In the same year, they also worked as a script consultant for Kaadhal Embadhu Podhu Udamai<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sundar |first=Anusha |date=28 June 2023 |title=Pride Month: Love, queer and beyond |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2023/Jun/28/pride-month-love-queer-and-beyond-2589115.html |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> which talks about a lesbian relationships.

== Activism ==

They have been a vocal activist in Chennai, Tamil Nadu and Kerala queer activism spaces. They identify as gender fluid, non-binary person, and prefer ''they/them'' pronouns.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 October 2020 |title=Chennai: She, he, ze, or xi? Pronouns make a difference |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/she-he-ze-or-xi-pronouns-make-a-difference/articleshow/78776423.cms |access-date=3 July 2024 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> They have been part of multiple protests and panels in and around the country.<ref>{{Cite web |last=IANS |date=8 June 2023 |title=American Centre in Chennai to hold panel discussion on LGBTQI+ community on June 10 |url=https://www.dtnext.in/news/city/american-centre-in-chennai-to-hold-panel-discussion-on-lgbtqi-community-on-june-10-717333 |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=www.dtnext.in |language=en}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
===Actor===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of actor credits for Malini Jeevarathnam
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Film
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" | Language
! scope="col" class="unsortable" |Notes
|-
| 2024
| [[Inspector Rishi]]
| Chithra
| Tamil
| Web Series
|-
|2024
|Love And Let Love<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rajkumar |first=Akchayaa |date=21 February 2024 |title=Love and Let Love: An evocative short film on queer joy, tolerance |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/love-and-let-love-an-evocative-short-film-on-queer-joy-tolerance |access-date=26 March 2025 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref>
|
|No Dialogue
|Short Film
|}

=== As director ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Film
! class="unsortable" |Notes
|-
|2017
|''[[Ladies and Gentlewomen]]''
| Documentary Films about love, life, and suicide among lesbians.
|-
|2022
|''Why So Straight?''
| The story of a queer artist called Ameya Hemmadi.<ref>{{Cite news |title="குயர் படங்கள் அடுத்த 10 ஆண்டுகளில் அதிகம் வரும்" – இயக்குநர் மாலினி ஜீவரத்தினம் |url=https://www.bbc.com/tamil/india-60544406 |access-date=26 March 2025 |work=BBC News தமிழ் |language=ta}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mirra |first=Jaya Gomathi |date=28 July 2022 |title=Neon Lights and a Revolution of Joy: On the documentary Why So Straight? |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/features/2022/Jul/28/neon-lights-and-a-revolution-of-joy-on-the-documentary-why-so-straight-33190.html |access-date=26 March 2025 |website=Cinema Express |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|2024
|Kaadhal Embadhu Podhu Udamai
|Worked as a Script Consultant
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jeevarathnam, Malini}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Non-binary directors]]
[[Category:Indian documentary film directors]]
[[Category:People from Ramanathapuram district]]
[[Category:Indian LGBTQ film directors]]
[[Category:Indian non-binary people]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:Indian LGBTQ rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian transgender rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian queer people]]
[[Category:Indian LGBTQ artists]]
[[Category:Activists from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Indian LGBTQ models]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Malini Jeevarathnam - Revision history

Nagaraj15 at 22:21, 26 April 2026