Shifting Representation of Masculinities and Femininities in Bollywood Cinemas

Looking into most of the Bollywood films, femininity was associated with weakness and dependence on male characters. Most of the 1960s’, 1970s’ and the 80s’ Bollywood movies represented the feminine character as just sensual object which supplemented the male figure in the films (Chakraborty 11). Most often the female character was pretty faces that in most of the movies either tamed the personality of masculinity or provoked the male character to act in certain instances. Most of these Bollywood movies women always preyed emotional objects that could not protect themselves from the dangers directed to them by the male villains. The films portrayed women as the objects of entertainment to the male sexually. For instance, in Pardes 1997 where the lead character is a female (Ganga Maiya) we can see the male characters tries to control her life and fate.

In the film she depicts the role of a strong woman beyond that of Savitry by standing for what she wants and her future is not defined by the male characters around her life (Gupta 110). The male protagonist dominant movies of the sixties, seventies, and eighties in the Bollywood movies portrayed the woman as a submissive, traditional and conservative. Such women in Indian society were viewed as positive light to the community. However, the domination of the Bollywood industries with the women protagonist sees these women as negative light in the Indian culture. In the pre-2010 Bollyhood industry it was unrealistic and unthinkable to find films made by women, it is the male stars that made the movie. The traditional Bollywood sector was composed of conventional directors who were conservatism and would allow only the male in the filmmaking.

The film Queen is directed by a young director who is empowered by change and diversity in the movie industry allowing the female gender equal opportunity like the male counterpart. A significant contrast is evident when comparing the traditional and modern Bollywood movie directions. In the three mentioned modern movies of Queen, Gulaab Gang and Kahaani, the directors omit the male protagonists where the male characters play passive roles or completely visible in the background, and instead, the female actors play the lead. While rural women are seen as ignorant and utterly attracted to tradition and cultural norms including those that suppress them. Gulaab Gang depicts a strong woman who is both physically fit and can sometimes employ weapons in action to defend her cause.

We see women going against the societal construct place of the Indian woman and completely act parallel to the male protagonist movie (Gupta 118). A very critical aspect is seen in the female protagonist movies where women do not disrespect the male either underrate the male, unlike the male protagonist movies in which women are privatized. Such movies which praise the strength of a man and see only men to dangerous villains is also disapproved by Gulaab Gang where women make the greatest villains but which protects the welfare and the rights of women in the Indian rigid cultural constructs. Chakraborty, Kabita. "The sexual lives of Muslim girls in the bustees of Kolkata, India. " Sex education 10. Dasgupta, Shamita Das. "Feminist Consciousness in Woman‐Centered Hindi Films.