Women in Indian Cinema - Part 2

 

“You don’t have to play masculine to be a strong woman”

-        Mary Elizabeth Winstead

 

 

For various people, cinema means different things. For some, it is the best and most admired kind of entertainment, while for others, it is simply a way of disseminating moving images. Then there are many who believe that it is a medium that captures the true spirit and shifting reality of the culture that creates it. It not only reflects, but it also moulds and has an impact on a culture. It's possible to say that society and film influence one another. What we see in movies genuinely happens, because from where else would these movies get their inspiration from? It can be said that cinema represents society to a large extent. Of course, it is all exaggerated and blown up, sometimes to epic proportions, but the fundamental concept, the crux, the main theme, originates from society as a whole. It goes without saying that these real-world occurrences and social commentary are exaggerated and made absurd in order to make a dramatic, suspenseful, or comedic movie that would draw viewers.

 

An important source of inspiration for Indian culture and society has always been Hindi cinema. In a way that no other previous art form could ever accomplish, it has not only moulded but also articulated the shifting circumstances and contours of India's cultural and socioeconomic attitudes. The way in which people view and approach various areas of their own lives has been influenced by Hindi movies. The world and society in which we live are changing, and the movies reflect these changes. Let's use the example of the affable and illiterate mother, or "ma," who is portrayed in Hindi films from the 1960s through the 1980s. The "ma" was a female role model who was the definition of dedication and hard labour, caring only for her kids. She burnt the midnight oil to stitch clothing to buy two meals a day and to pay for the hero's BA degree, has slowly got replaced by the modern, educated and sometimes even independent 'mom'. The traditionally simple and unassuming heroine has been replaced by a woman who is not only intelligent and courageous but also self-assured in her sexuality. A simple, uneducated "gaon-ki-gori" is no longer the object of the hero's affection. He has now been replaced by the innocent lad next door, who has human talents, foibles, and goals but does not dwell in a palace. As a result, the movie's main characters are now very relatable to the viewer.

 

The cinema itself can announce or bring about changes in society, but there is another component, another side to the coin. When people try to imitate what they see in movies, it inspires fashion and criminal activity because they don't realise that what they see on screen is a modified or altered version of reality that is made to look glamorous through tools and technology and that life, unlike movies, is unpredictable. Yet, some films also result in beneficial improvements, such as the recent modification of the previous CBSE policy as a result of the film Tare Zameen Par (2007). For their board exams, CBSE now allows dyslexic kids more time. Similar to how the popular film Chak De! India reignited interest in hockey (2007). So, it wouldn't be inaccurate to claim that movies serve as more than simply a popular form of entertainment for individuals and families; they also serve as a catalyst for social change, as they should.

 

Films frequently tout their representation of women as a selling point. The audience enjoys watching women on film in clichéd poses, diverse costumes, and song and dance routines, and the representation of women on screen changes periodically in line with shifting societal trends. Although it is true that the ideals of a society can influence what is portrayed on television and how it is portrayed, it is also true that our society's patriarchal undercurrents persist. Nevertheless today, women are portrayed in ways that appeal to the male gaze. Women are still categorized, and clichéd imagery, song and dance routines, and different types of clothing have all been used to do this. All of these elements contribute to the compartmentalization of women and their fetishization, leaving no room for the representation of the real woman on television. One could assume that Bollywood has improved over time in terms of how it portrays women based on a quick glance at the history of Hindi cinema and the shifting trends in society and cinema. Globalization and western culture have had a significant impact on the subject matter of movies, the settings in which they are shot, and even the surroundings themselves. But a deeper look at the movies reveals that there has been development, but only in the areas of special effects technology, picturesque locations, and the representation of new ideas in the movies.

 

Women are still portrayed or represented using the outdated femininity stereotypes. The same goes for everything around them. Westernization has converted women into commodities that need to be made into spectacles in order for a movie to be commercially successful. More skin is shown in the film as a result of western influence and modernization because it is now marketed to both Indian and Western viewers. Women are portrayed as archetypes and one-dimensional characters in roles such as courtesan, lover, widow, daughter, wife, and daughter-in-law. These preconceptions exclusively apply to men, to on-screen heroes, and they lack any individual characteristics, substance, or temperament. They serve as the male characters' antithesis to emphasize their flaws. In Indian cinema, the concept of patriarchy's definition of femininity is one that is frequently upheld.

Nonetheless, it becomes abundantly obvious that certain women escape this mould through research of new developing trends in Bollywood cinema as well as the parallel cinema. There are movies that show women as strong, independent, and occasionally even as individuals. Arth (1982), Fire (1996), Daman (2001), Lajja (2001), 7 Khoon Maaf (2011), and Queen (2013), to name a few, are examples of movies that shattered the mould over the years. The subtextual issues are still relevant in 2017. For instance, a young girl utilises technology to rebel against the patriarchy and pursue her aspirations in the movie Hidden Superstar. Dangal, starring Aamir Khan, highlighted how the appropriate mindset and nurturing can level the playing field for both genders, while Lipstick Beneath My Burkha (2016) challenged and subverted stereotypes about modern-day women's hopes and wishes.

 

In recent research titled "Analyzing Gender Stereotyping in Bollywood Movies," IBM and two Indian educational institutions studied the distribution of male and female occupations in Hindi film. The same survey also discovered a rise in the proportion of female-centric films since 2000, from a low of 6.9% in 1995–2000 to 11.9% in 2015–2017. It would be intriguing to observe if content produced for streaming services succeeds where Hindi film has failed and bridges the glaring gender divide as millennials start to turn inward towards the tiny screen in search of edgy entertainment that walks alongside international productions.

- Arya Mishra, Content Associate