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The International Indian Film Awards (IIFA) this year had three awards that clearly highlighted how women-centric stories are becoming mainstream in Indian cinema. It's time to celebrate, even if cautiously!
The International Indian Film Awards (IIFA) this year had three awards that clearly highlighted how women-centric stories are becoming mainstream in Indian cinema. It’s time to celebrate, even if cautiously!
While the focus on women wasn’t as overt as the #MeToo campaign at the Golden Globe Awards, IIFA honoured strong women-centric movies by giving the Best Female Actor to Sridevi for Mom, Best Supporting Actor to Meher Vij for Secret Superstar and the Best Picture Award to Tumhari Sulu which had Vidya Balan as the lead.
Bollywood is surely past the days when women had just two major roles – a damsel in distress or a vamp. It is delightful to see movies such as Tumhari Sulu, where Vidhya Balan’s cheerful character experiments with various things and finally lands a job as a radio jockey on a late night show doing semi-adult content. Secret Superstar depicts an ardent young girl who fights against patriarchal systems and realises her dreams; and in Mom, Sridevi’s character fights a misogynist system to make justice possible for her step-daughter who was raped.
This definitely seems like a coming of age for Bollywood. 2017 saw movies such as Begum Jaan, Lipstick Under My Burka, The Mother, Simran, Noor, Anaarkali of Aarah, Naam Shabana, Phillauri, that parleyed with sexist structures. These movies have tried to change the discourse about women in cinema. They have challenged notions of female sexuality, empowerment, strength and capability. Some of these movies even faced strong opposition but that helped in bringing about more public discussion of taboo topics. The slowly increasing number of female filmmakers has also played an important role in bringing about this change.
Previously, movies like Pink, Piku, Dear Zindagi, Neerja, Kahani, Sarbjit, English Vinglish, Queen etc have also received a positive response form the Indian audiences, in the process challenging conventional beliefs.
While a few women-centric movies are made every year and do well commercially and critically, there are still a lot of movies that objectify women. These pro-women movies have to compete against the mainstream male dominated movies and their item numbers. Bollywood produces about 1500 movies every year although very few are commercially known and only a handful of them deal with women.
The industry needs to more women-centric movies that are well-received and become the norm rather than an exception,. In the past a lot of research has shown how movies influence sexual harassment and other violent behaviour. Above all, it shapes the way we as people think about women. Movies are also a reflection of society but the depiction and glorification of objectifying women will only reinforce the existing beliefs.
To change the dialogue around women we need more female filmmakers – directors and producers as well as female writers who write different stories and change the clichéd perceptions of women. We must stop expecting powerful female narratives from people who make misogynist movies. It seems like the perfect time for women to enter the film industry not just as aspiring actors but as story-tellers, producers, directors, sound engineers, foley artists, cinematographers, editors…and more!
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If her home and family seem to be impacted by her career then we expect her to prioritize her ‘responsibilities at home as a woman’ and leave her job.
The entrenched patriarchal norms have always perpetuated certain roles and responsibilities as falling specifically in the domain of either men or women. Traditionally, women have been associated with the domestic sphere while men have been considered the bread winner of the household. This division of roles has become so ingrained in our lives that we seldom come to question it. However, while not being questioned does give the system a certain level of legitimacy, it in no way proves its veracity.
This systematic division has resulted in a widely accepted notion whereby the public sphere is demarcated as a men’s zone and the private sphere as belonging to women. Consequently, women are expected to stay at home and manage the household chores while men are supposed to go out and make a living with no interest whatsoever in the running of the household.
This divide is said to be grounded in the intrinsic nature of men and women. Women are believed to be compassionate, affectionate and loving and these supposedly ‘feminine’ qualities make them the right fit for caring roles. Men, on the other hand are allegedly more sturdy, strong and bold and hence, the ones to deal with the ordeals of the outside world.
Investing in women means many things beyond the obvious meaning of this IWD2024 theme, as the many orgs doing stellar work can show us.
What does it mean to invest in women?
Telling the women in our lives how great we think they are? That we value the sacrifices they have made? (Usually though not necessarily only – a sacrifice of their aspirations, careers and earning potential in order to focus on family).
No, thank you. Just talk is no longer going to cut it. Roses and compliments are great, but it’s time people, leaders, organizations put their money, capital, resources on track instead.
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