Empower People has come up with another important discussion. Lecturer Hridaya Ajgaonkar comes up with a deeply analyzed and well-organized research on the topic, “Bollywood desire and the portrayal of women”. Aakanksha Kulkarni, a social worker and Roohi Sahay, co-founder, and CCO of the Qrious Creative take up a discussion on the same.

Ms.Hridaya draws our attention to the way the audience is influenced by Bollywood movies. It influences our behavior, style, and way of thinking. Hence, she presents an objective analysis of “how Bollywood portrays women”. Women are indispensable figures in Bollywood. She presents SHEILA KI JAWANI, to make us understand the fact that though there is a myth that only the CIS male audience watches such item songs, they also consume the interest of other people in the population. Such songs are formed patriarchal but are not limited to the patriarchal society. She helps us figure out a common method of the portrayal of women in the posters of Sholay, Mother India, and Chameli. It is evident from these posters that the women are position in a way where her torso faces the audience. Most importantly there is a lack of eye contact.  It is a strategy to evoke scopophilia in the audience.

She then depicts the paintings of Baba Sahib and Raja Ravi Varma. These paintings clearly define the qualities of the so-called “ideal woman” and “non-ideal woman”. The ideal woman is often portrayed as being sacrificial and possessing a pretty and fair-skinned body while the non-ideal woman is depicted as bare-breasted, dark-skinned, and consuming erotic gaze.

She speaks about a witty manner by how Bollywood tackles the taboo of sexuality. Dream sequences westernized women, drunken men at the background of an item song and skeptical illustrations are great formulas to deal with the taboo of sexuality.

Narrow casting on online platforms has given liberty to portray the desired content with lesser restrictions. There is a worrying fact that women are used to selling a commodity to both men and women. This could pave way for transgressive viewing.

Ms. Roohi adds up to the discussion by stating about the tussle between the reel and the real. She also admits the progress and change for good in Bollywood after many voices raised against the promiscuous portrayal of women.

Ms. Aakanksha shares her opinion on a subjective view and tells how movies and women's portrayal affects women on daily basis.

To conclude, movies are a medium for addressing a huge audience. This is a powerful weapon to bring out a change in any context of human social life. Let us hope that changes continue to happen for the better portrayal of women in a respectful manner. Let us hope for liberty with morality.

COMPILED BY: OVIYA E