Dr. Arya Aiyappan is an expert in Film and Film Culture. Her primary research area is Indian cinema, focusing on Middle Cinema in Malayalam. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Kerala, with a thesis titled "Constructing Gender: Cultural Identity and the Politics of Representation in Contemporary Middle Cinema in Hindi." She also completed her MPhil at Kerala University, ranking first in the English Language and Literature postgraduate program. Dr. Arya's research interests include the politics of film representations, gender paradigms, genre grading, and stardom. Her studies also explore offscreen-onscreen dynamics, the socio-political aspects of film culture, and Blue Humanities through cinema. She has authored multiple academic articles and two books on film theory and culture. She conducted workshops and published a monograph on Malayalam filmmaker P. Padmarajan. This work was completed with the support of the Film and Television Institute of India, the National Film Archives of India, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Pune. Dr. Arya's scholarly contributions extend beyond traditional film studies, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach and dedication to the field.
