Objectification in movie roles
Throughout its inception, Bollywood has used overt misogyny in its storylines. There is a strong, commanding male lead and a devoted, subservient female. There is one item song that is extremely objectifying. The lead female character is referred to as "a firecracker or a piece of flesh." She is handled and touched by the hero. The common stories that we assume to be benign often contain overtly sexist implications.
For instance, the way the male protagonist frequently pursues the girl is in no way constructive. A few of the ways in which actresses encounter sexism in the business are discussed in the Bollywood Diva Song. There aren't a lot of strong female leads in movies. Stereotypes abound. The careers of actresses who defy convention ultimately fail. It's simple to replace.
Strong female roles are scarce, as was already mentioned. It is important to note that the fact that a substantial majority of Indian moviegoers are men may be the cause of the dearth of female-focused films and strong roles. Movies are helped by single cinemas to surpass the $100 billion mark. The gender split is reversed in these. Many forms of sexism exist in the Bollywood industry, and women there encounter it firsthand. In addition, the sector supports sexism against women.
Bollywood sexism translated in reality
Actresses may face ridicule. Some can contend that films are merely entertainment and have nothing to do with maintaining the objectification of women. Nonetheless, the reality remains that film is a soft medium with the power to greatly affect people's attitudes. The huge number of crimes against women that are reported in India each year is proof of this. This is demonstrated by the fact that male Indians, in particular, believe it acceptable to post sexist polls and queries on actresses' bodies. They have no issues tweeting sexist comments in response to random ladies. The way that women are portrayed in Bollywood films as weak and ready to fall into the arms of males is the cause of this online abuse of women. This is a dangerous narrative that Bollywood continues to put forward simply in order to maximize profits.
As was already said, the typical storyline frequently portrays the hero's "stalking" of the woman as something natural and even welcomed. But, this is terrifying in real life. Women don't want to go through this. Women don't want this. The sexual harassment and objectification that are depicted in Bollywood films are representative of how guys act in real life. Even if there isn't a direct link between films and crimes against women in India, films mirror our culture and online assaults frequently escalate to real ones.
According to society, women must defer to men. There is a lot of victim-blaming going on, with women being told that they should have covered up, not stayed out so late, etc. This is virtually always addressed at women, seldom at men. The plotline lapped up by the audience rarely plays out in real life.
The failure of Bollywood
Bollywood fails to acknowledge this. All women who contact the industry are negatively impacted by sexism, which permeates every aspect of it. Rarely do actresses get the chance to play powerful, independent female characters. They play roles for the male gaze, and if they dare to rebel, they are replaced and criticized. Bollywood is ruthless when it comes to India's female population. It affects the 1.2 billion people who live there in terms of how women should behave and be treated. If adjustments are not made to the roles that are offered and the treatment that females receive, objectification in Bollywood will continue. As a result, the fundamental consensus must be altered.
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