As the debate on women's portrayal on screen both small and silver
rages on, industry members, on the occasion of International Women's
Day, share tips on how to check stereotyping of woman characters.
When Yudhishtir lost her in a game of chaupad, Draupadi asked him: If we are bound by marriage, how did you gamble away only me; and if I am an autonomous being, then who gave you the right to put me on stake? She questioned patriarchy, yet, in Indian cinema, Savitri is treated as the role model and not Draupadi." This argument by veteran actor Shabana Azmi aptly represents the voices of dissent which are steadily rising regarding the portrayal of women in Indian cinema.
With the recent rise in cases of crime against women, the debate over the depiction of the female gender in Indian cinema has become fiercer. "The debate, however, always existed," admits veteran filmmaker Ramesh Sippy. "As times changed, so did cinema. Unfortunately, people confuse demanding a fair portrayal of women with moral policing. They thereby question the presence of the modern woman — in terms of her attire, manner of speech and freedom — in Bollywood when they should be addressing the inequality of the character."
It is, however, not the modern woman but the stereotyping that feminists oppose. "For years, a rape victim in Indian cinema either committed suicide or married her rapist instead of leading a respectable life. A woman in the corporate world is depicted as one who sleeps her way up — something men perhaps believe in, which our cinema reinforces," says screenwriter Juhi Chaturvedi, who penned Vicky Donor. "To be respected, an Indian woman either has to be a Parvati bhabhi, an epitome of sacrifice, or else, she is merely an object of entertainment, a fantasy, a Savita bhabhi," she adds.
Azmi, who spoke on the subject recently at the third Screenwriters Conference in Mumbai, said that the fault also lies with filmmakers and the male gaze. It shows in their movies — irrespective of whether the woman is "modern" or "traditional" — which aims to titillate. "In Zoya Akhtar's Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Katrina Kaif stepped out of water, soaking wet, but the camera did not focus on her assets, which made the scene aesthetic," she pointed out.
Also, under the scanner are item numbers, but Sippy argues that this trend dates back to the '60s when they were popular as "cabarets". However, he does add that there is a fine line between questioning an artiste's intention and curbing his creative freedom. "Beyond a point, the filmmaker and actors involved should question the need and aesthetics of the song," he says.
Some believe that since the industry is male-dominated, the cinema projects their perspective. Chaturvedi, however, does not quite agree with that and emphasises on the need to have sensitive, progressive storytellers. "Those who wrote characters such as Radha in Mother India, Aarti in Mahanagar or Rosy in Guide were men. They were aware of a woman's role in society and of their craft as a responsible tool to shape it."
When Yudhishtir lost her in a game of chaupad, Draupadi asked him: If we are bound by marriage, how did you gamble away only me; and if I am an autonomous being, then who gave you the right to put me on stake? She questioned patriarchy, yet, in Indian cinema, Savitri is treated as the role model and not Draupadi." This argument by veteran actor Shabana Azmi aptly represents the voices of dissent which are steadily rising regarding the portrayal of women in Indian cinema.
With the recent rise in cases of crime against women, the debate over the depiction of the female gender in Indian cinema has become fiercer. "The debate, however, always existed," admits veteran filmmaker Ramesh Sippy. "As times changed, so did cinema. Unfortunately, people confuse demanding a fair portrayal of women with moral policing. They thereby question the presence of the modern woman — in terms of her attire, manner of speech and freedom — in Bollywood when they should be addressing the inequality of the character."
It is, however, not the modern woman but the stereotyping that feminists oppose. "For years, a rape victim in Indian cinema either committed suicide or married her rapist instead of leading a respectable life. A woman in the corporate world is depicted as one who sleeps her way up — something men perhaps believe in, which our cinema reinforces," says screenwriter Juhi Chaturvedi, who penned Vicky Donor. "To be respected, an Indian woman either has to be a Parvati bhabhi, an epitome of sacrifice, or else, she is merely an object of entertainment, a fantasy, a Savita bhabhi," she adds.
Azmi, who spoke on the subject recently at the third Screenwriters Conference in Mumbai, said that the fault also lies with filmmakers and the male gaze. It shows in their movies — irrespective of whether the woman is "modern" or "traditional" — which aims to titillate. "In Zoya Akhtar's Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Katrina Kaif stepped out of water, soaking wet, but the camera did not focus on her assets, which made the scene aesthetic," she pointed out.
Also, under the scanner are item numbers, but Sippy argues that this trend dates back to the '60s when they were popular as "cabarets". However, he does add that there is a fine line between questioning an artiste's intention and curbing his creative freedom. "Beyond a point, the filmmaker and actors involved should question the need and aesthetics of the song," he says.
Some believe that since the industry is male-dominated, the cinema projects their perspective. Chaturvedi, however, does not quite agree with that and emphasises on the need to have sensitive, progressive storytellers. "Those who wrote characters such as Radha in Mother India, Aarti in Mahanagar or Rosy in Guide were men. They were aware of a woman's role in society and of their craft as a responsible tool to shape it."
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