A Biased Reflection
"Cinema
is an edited reality and a mirror of society. While society decides morality,
films are desperate to connect with the audience and fulfil what the society
fancies. In turn, the film affects the society; thus, cinema and society
reflect each other."
-Javed
Akhtar
Media reflects
what is prevailing in society and society reflects the ‘trend’. Thus, both
mirror each other. Even psychological studies have proven that the graphic
motion presentation leaves a solid image on our sub-conscious and conscious
mind. But this fact is not used the way it should have been. This at times,
leave me with a thought that what if depiction of women was different? What if
we weren’t used as stepping stone or beautifying object? Therefore, movies
could act as the proxy to understand how prevalent gender bias and stereotypes
are in any society.
These questions apply to the media of whole world
including Hollywood movies which are regarded as far better than Bollywood or
any other film making industry. But the, grim reality is that when the point of
characterizing or objectifying women comes in light all share a same stage. In
this article, I will be focusing on biased reflection of females by on the
largest film producing network in the world -Indian cinema specifically
Bollywood.
With screening of over 1000 movies in a year in 20
different languages one can easily check with the above stated psychological
fact. The major part of it is Bollywood (hindi movies), the most influential
tool in Indian society. As described by Javed Akhtar movies display a world
fascinated by human and connect the dream world with real word. The glamor,
idea of luxurious lifestyle, fashion sense, what is being a man or woman means
and what is an ideal society are all manufactured products of this industry.
The impact of this is clear as crystal. You may notice several things to check
it like what image do you form when you her ‘bahu’.
This stereotypical and character glorifying depiction
has its own which travelled through different phases of evolution of cinema
with the same baggage. Starting its journey with the release of Raja
Harishchandra in 1913 and taking a dramatic turn-around 1940s with coming of
color cinema. Patriarchy played major role in this depiction. What is
acceptable to their eyes can only be served rest is censored or suppressed.
Back then there were days when male and female both
were presented as social components within built ability to bring social
change. These constituted the days of independence when movies were the medium
to ignite people for fighting against oppressive rule and days after the
independence when cinema became a vehicle for addressing social problems and
issues. Bollywood portrayed a society that was both desirable and achievable
through films. Movies presented the hardships a woman faced like in Mother
India where a story revolves around lead actress Nargis who is shown struggling
against odds of life after her husband left her with the debt and two sons. At
the end she killed her own son, presenting her as strong personality and one
who doesn't tolerate anything wrong with other women.
This portrayal took a major turn from 1980s with the
beginning of action era, an era that brought lot of changes not just in
industry but in society. Actresses lost their space and part to actors. They
were now a glamourous component dancing around trees, being kidnapped, killed
or raped. It was in this era that concept of ‘sundar-sushil bahu’ i.e, ideal
beauty and ideal wife was seeded. The era of 80s saw a spate of films that had
almost every heroine from Hema Malini to Vidya Sinha depicted either as
daughter in law, mother or sister-in-law. Story was spiced up by displaying
rape of women of family which apparently meant attacking the ‘years old honor
of family’. This was not enough to degrade our image they subsequently
presented as that of a weak woman who can’t protect her own self. She requires
some ‘male’ to protect her. Like Amitabh Bachchan in Aakhree Rasta enraged by
raper of her sister unleashes violent vengeance.
However, there were the few stories which took centre
stage in late 80s. Scorned women came in limelight, when Sridevi and Dimple
Kapadia played fiery women out to avenge murder or rape. Dimple’s Zakhmi Aurat,
replete with bombastic dialog, characterised the dictum: Hell, hath no fury
like woman scorned.
“She is a good girl, suits our family”
“She is a bad girl, brought shame to family”
Have you ever wondered how such kind of dialogs rooted
the epitome of women as affirming and that of sacrifice? This inculcation
started with the beginning of 90s. The era in which concept of good and bad
girl was placed on our tables. And guess what,who was regarded as bad girl the
one who was individualisistic, aspiring, wore short dress and defied the rule
of society. Good girl is a homemaker, one who wore saree and salwar suit and is
soft-spoken. The contribution of this era in idealizing women didn’t stop here.
It even portrayed women as the creature who is always in search of stepping
stone. The best example is film Mohra casting Raveena Tandon as main female
lead who at some point or other is secured, supported and succeeded with the
help of one or the other males. Thus, she can’t get successful or her
liberation from the evils until unless there enters an angel in form of male to
rescue her.
This idea was greased in the post liberalization period.
Men were the bread earners and women were homemakers. Pick any hit of this time
from Hum Apke Hai Kon where Madhuri Dixit sacrificed her dreams for the
interest of her family to Biwi No.1, Dil toh Pagal Hai, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and
Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gum, all had women as decorator and housewives. Then, a
rhetorical statement “Ek ladka aur ladki kabhi dost nhi ho skte” is a
conclusion of these films. One more conclusion was that a ‘tomboy’ type girl
will be friend of everyone but won’t be girlfriend of anyone. Karan Johar
directed film ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ is the example of the same. When Kajol is
dressed up like tomboy she is not loveable but when she wears saree with long
hair she turns out to be attractive.
With the onset of 21st century things didn’t change in
first place only moulded to present same idea in different way. Creepy dialogs
like “Ladki ki naa mai bhi haa hoti hai” and “Hassi toh fassi” presented an
image that if girl denies your proposal, you can stalk her and boy becomes a
certified protector. This, affirmed practices of stalking, irritating and doing
anything to turn her no to yes. It is because of such storyline that
possessiveness became a part of love and allowed everything in the name of
love.What can be the better example than ‘Kabir Singh’ . It's very famous line
“Who Meri Bandi Hai” mixed with anger clearly indicate madness and no one will
agree that such things inoculates something good in society. These movies too highlighted the idea of so
called ‘traditional society’ where ‘ideal woman’ is preferred and is picked by
hero. Let’s take Cocktail, a very modern film where Saif Ali Khan picks the
super -sanskari Meera played by Diana Penty and while gallivanting with Deepika
Padukone who is playing a role of free-spirited Veronica. Worse, when Veronica
decides to try wooing the hero in the end, she turns demure in salwarkameez,
giving up her micromini image in an instant.
The movies in all the era marked the final destination
of women which faded all other achievements that of marrying a well settled
guy. Once you are married and become a mother you become a complete woman. In
other words, women acceptable to this society. There are several examples for
it. Take any movie and you will find the same. Data of one of the study, based
on the analysis done by IBM of over 4000 movie revealed that during
introduction sequences, descriptions for males are profession-driven whereas
women are associated with physical appearances, emotional states, or their
relation to a male, such as the “wife of” or “daughter of” so-and-so.
These disparities don’t end with idealizing of woman
in a perfect shape of 36-24-36 or slim fit as wanted by all and others with
black tone or one with good health as not loveable and leading a depressing
life. It continues in the form of so-called jokes based on female stereotype
used on regular basis in movie without differentiating on temporal lines like
in Madhubala “Agar kisi sundar ladki ko nahi chedo toh who bhi toh uski bezzati
h” to a dialog of very famous movie Jab We Met “Ek azaad ladki khuli kitaab ki
tarah hoti hai”. Not very old but one can take example from very recent film
Pati Patni aur Woh making joke on the woman’s wish of having sex.
Shame meets its extend when females are presented from
male gaze that is highlighting their sensuality so that men can enjoy it. If
there is no hotness objectification how will a movie perform well on box office.
Thus, Bollywood films have largely been about
stereotypes. Much has been made of research facts released by the Geena Davis
Institute on Women in Media supported by UN Women and The Rockfeller
Foundation, which claimed Indian films top the list in objectifying women on
screen. A sample survey showed Indian films have largely depicted the women in
sexualised roles.
“I was very sure I did not want to be the stereotype
of what Indian people are seen as, which is Bollywood and henna. That's all
great! It's what we are, and I love it. I love saris; I love music. I love
henna; I love dancing, but that's not all we are.”
-Priyanka Chopra
However, there have been several changes introduced in
recent films in order to break those shackles. Actresses now speak and
challenge openly about what is wrong in the structure and that there is an
urgent need to make it right. Films such as Mary kom, Kahnaani or Haider have
been appreciated by the audience. The line between heroine and vamp too has
blurred. The image of mother too has changed. We as changemakers should hope
that differently imagined moms like Zohra Sehgal in Cheeni Kum or Dolly
Ahluwalia in Vicky Donor become more commonplace.
Although Indian films are trying to break stereotypes
and opting for innovative characters, the process has largely been slow. It can
also be said that our patriarchal society has not accepted these changes whole
heartedly. Feminism, and the female gaze make the ‘patriarchal’ CBFC
uncomfortable, and not sexual content, says Alankrita Shrivastava, the director
of the controversial film Lipstick Under My Burkha. Despite coming of several
prominent female-oriented films offering meaty role to heroines and several
promising women filmmakers creating offbeat cinema in recent times, our films
have rarely got rid of stereotypes.
All these links between the starting point of journey
to present where we stand movies prove that only the trends in Bollywood change
but the stock stereotype depicting woman remain the same. History to date is
same in this context of biases reflection but history is evolving gradually.
Still there is much more to fight against and much more to cover in.
Author:
Comments
Post a Comment