Before you judge me with the title, I would like to clarify that like any another Indian, I love hindi movie and would go at any levels to catch one, even in week nights. I am definitely not one of those who is all for world cinema and doesn’t care about the thriving and multicolored and billion dollars worth film industry which we have. But recently I have come across one video, which made me think and question my love for Bollywood films. It is not my moral police- ness that is speaking but right now with the situation like this, where India is been ranked worst for women among the G20 nations, I have question which I ask myself and others:- How much is Bollywood to be blamed in the current fatal status of women in this country? Can directors and actors completely wash off their hands that they have nothing to do about it, or is there a fleeting responsibility they share towards a condition such as these? Theater, on the other hand is used as a social weapon to question the system right through ages, whether about women’s liberty, caste, love or the modern life, then why not films? Why are we not using a powerful forum like films to fight today’s injustice and still use it only as an entertainment factor? Why do we still throng at the multiplexes to see half nude if not completely actors bulging their muscles and whereas films like Chittagong or Inshallah Kashmir goes unnoticed or even doesn’t allow to be released? Why do we watch a film like The Reader or Milk just because it is made elsewhere and not come together to make a film like that here? India has much inspiring stories but that hardly comes out, but if a Poonam Pandey laughs and blushes with plunging neck line is an instant hit. It seems that today Bollywood has only become a den of nude or semi nude women shaking their bosom with muscular men. Acting skills have taken a backseat and directors only want people who would bare it all – for a song or for the whole movie.
This blog is not a projection of my feminist nut cracking but rather a distressed and tired mind speaking when the nation is at turmoil, not knowing exactly as to what women are to the society? Are we an object or a social status or a medium or simply as the joke goes that god created men and then he thought….’eeee what the hell, I am bored let just create something called women, but no self esteem or respect attached to it?’ Coming back to the video that I talked about, it starts with short clippings of Indian actresses shaking their booty and then directly goes to interview some men asking what do they think about eve teasing or so as to women and you shall be shocked to hear their responses….no I am not going to tell you, but take it for me, it does give you chills. But then my mind starts lingering and what I was curious is why does someone likes a Bollywood item song? Or in fact would enjoy watching an item song? Is it only because of the music or the beats or for the singer or the fact that voluptuous young women dancing in skimpy clothes showing off little extra and leaving you craving for more? And from where and when this item song of projecting women in a sensational way happened? Sometime back a song came called ‘Bipasha’ featuring Bipasha only. The song was trash but the video had a million view and if you have watched the song you would know exactly why. Is this what was left for us? Simultaneously, what about the men who justifies eve teasing or rape saying that it is their right and if women show off their body then why is it a fault to admire that? So, does it imply that half nudity or more than half nudity in today’s entertainment industry is the real reason? Is it really we in the form of ‘bollywood item girls’ who are enticing the ‘male’ ? Karan Johar vehemently denied any social role Bollywood movies has to play, supported by people like Zoya Akhtar. Thus, I am asking you guys do you agree to this, or you think that in may other ways the latest trend that has come up and the justification that these people give to unnecessary nudity in songs and scenes has actually got something to do with it?
I feel Bollywood’s projection of women’s sexuality is quite problematic, in the sense that fair women are sexy…nudity for the sake of nudity is justified…teasing women can be comedy with innovative punch lines and item songs with gory lines objectifies women to enjoy. Just a passing thought…do women also ogle at hot guys? I mean like stare at their chest or ass like the whole world is rotating there…or whistle or shagging in the public or even singing lewd songs? I mean do we…?? I am not saying you don’t appreciate beauty if its right next to you but appreciating and lusting is very different. I guess the situation is such if you are watching The Reader or 12 Years A Slave, the attention should not be on naked breasts or ass but rather the subject matter and what message does it convey. But unfortunately that is not the case. Aren’t we are all fed up of making Poonam Pandey a celebrity and how fucking frustrating it is when you see her talking about women and her respect, and she says..”I serve people what they want.” It is an extremely weird and confusing situation, where there seemed to be no solution, at all. I mean how would you even change the pattern of how people think, rather how men think? Just today evening I had gone out for a walk in and was just in my casual wear. I had to visit an ATM and the moment I entered I felt the nasty gaze of the security guard on me and the way he was checking me out from head to foot. that was thoroughly disgusting. This is just the tip of the ice berg and definitely everyday we face much worse… but how do I explain to him that what he did was offensive? Or to the millions on the road…??? Indian screen is not ready for women in bikini…because we don’t have the maturity to perceive that, because those people who are posing are surrounded by macho body guards 24/7 and here we are getting the aftermath. Just Stop it..!! Even in television. If budding models want to make their living am sure there are other ways but just give it a halt..!!
Anywayzz, I never claimed that my blog searching for an answer but the intention was to nurture the think hat and put forward some questions which desperately needs to be answered. Is our Hinidi film industry really responsible or the ways it works that is the problem? Why is Katrina Kaif running in two piece is a sensational news or Poonam Pandey having a million follower in Twitter is a headline? Why we give the ‘celebrity’ status to people who doesn’t come in any way to that? We forget people who are regularly fighting every day every second a nasty war of survival. Do we have an answer…or will we ever ans answer.
And Yes, the video link that I talked about, here it goes. http://www.storypick.com/damaging-truth-indian-entertainment-industry-doesnt-want-know/
Watch…Learn and Think..
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