The fascination with these specific storylines often stems from:

In contemporary digital stories (such as those found on platforms like Pratilipi), writers sometimes explore more complex, non-traditional, or "forbidden" romantic undertones [3]. These stories often lean into the tension between traditional family hierarchies and evolving personal emotions [3].

Away from the censorship of television, digital platforms and "pocket novels" explore romantic or illicit storylines more explicitly.

With OTT platforms, the taboo is being gingerly explored. A 2022 Tamil short film, ‘Murai’ , presented a mamanar (Prakash Raj in a cameo) confessing his love for his marumagal (newcomer) — but only in a fever dream, immediately retracted. The audience’s discomfort was palpable. A web series like ‘Kuthukku Pathu’ (2023) had a side plot where an older man realizes his feelings for his son’s wife are a sign of his own loneliness, not love — a psychological, not romantic, resolution.