Y werent Govinda's step Condemned? - Sharmila T - Page 7

"A woman is free to say yes or no to the way she's projected on the screen," says actress Sharmila Tagore adding that if a woman enjoys doing a certain thing on screen, "it's her prerogative".

And balances the other side of the spectrum here, where she COULD be objectified.

"But we don't know what the compulsions are for what girls do on screen. Sometimes they're too young and naive to know where the camera is placed and how they're captured,"

And completely agree with her here. I mean if you start thinking about it, women are glamorous in all kinds of dance sequences. They can be sensual, they can have cameras focusing on certain areas like her waist, etc.

"But women can be commodified even in a wedding sequence. And why single out women? Even men are being commodified. And women are commodified in endorsements and advertisements even when they are clothed from head-to-toe.

Another balanced statement.

Its not like these actresses themselves getup and decided that I want this song to look like this. Its the way these songs have been made for years.

The 68-year-old said: "The women are not volunteering to do these songs. They are an indication of the patriarchal construction. If an actress says yes to an item song, she doesn't become unworthy of respect."

And mostly agree with this statement.

"I think we have to forget this 'man can do anything and women cannot' mindset. If a woman enjoys doing a certain thing on screen, it's her prerogative. You don't have to go and see her. Why be judgmental about it?

"Men do a lot of vulgar dances. I recall some of Govinda's dance movements. But they were not condemned at all. But if a woman does it, she is looked down upon. This is double standards. Why do we expect women's morals to be on higher plane than the men?"