Do you think female characters are too sanitised in Bollywood? - Page 2

Indian movies are mostly based on heroic character, hence the characters are black and white.

It is rare where we get realistic movies with real characters with flaws.

We have an escapist audience, hence most of our movie characters are either idealistic or evil.

Originally posted by: return_to_hades

There have been a few complex female characters. However, the tendency is to create exaggerated goody two shoes and Savitri type female characters. It is the madonna-whore dichotomy. Women are either pure virginal aka good or promiscuous impure aka evil, they cannot be in between.

It is tricky to create flawed female characters in India though. Depending on what the flaws are women as dismissed as pseudo-feminist or trashy. For example Veere di Wedding and Four More Shots Please are panned and people hate on the characters. People clutch their pearls when women are sexually active or use vibrators.

I don't think Veeri di Wedding or Four More Shots were panned because of the characters' sex lives. I haven't seen either of these. I'm not a fan of chick-lit or women's fiction. But the former is from the House of Sonam and her productions aren't generally known for characters of depth. Her movies rarely get into the skin of the character other than being superficially 'different'. I didn't like the item song which treated men as things to be groped. I know that there are gazillion more out there doing the same to women. But both are equally offensive. Plus it is the nature of people to judge. You can't insist on going about flouting the rules of society (in this case casual sex) and still crave for approval from the same society. You can either be a rebel or a conformist, not both. As for Four More Shots, Zoya's movies generally tend to be criticized for being obsessed with the problems of the rich. Which is unfair but the rest of India don't seem to care that much. The 90s super rich and their unrealistic set-like mansions were equally unreal and out of a fairytale. But they didn't ask to be sympathized and considered as humans. On the other hand the 90s rich were almost universally portrayed as arrogant and cruel.

Originally posted by: mintyblue

Exactly!

commercial cinema are never nuanced . no point in discussing this even directors /producers/actors are very clear about what commercial cinema will offer .

Even male actors are black and white and sanitized in commercial cinema like maroon said.

yes , complex characters are exceptions in movies but cinema or even Indian cinema is very very clear about being 85% For entertainment and 15% for art and enlightenment.

I think some audience are still confused inspite of all the clarity provided by film industry repeatedly.

Personally , I only have problem with movies where producer/director/actors are pompous /self righteous/preachy Hypocrites .but, use human depravity to sell movies while also being complete assholes in real life.

Although , I agree that it’s my problem and the most vile person also reserves right to preach everyone .

I think these days they are overdoing the whole “foul mouthed and bold = pathaka “ thing

As if it’s almost the “cool thing” to do...if ur demure and shy ur boring and can’t stand up for yourself

Why can’t they show characteristics without having a sense of judgement or direction attached to it

Also show a mix ...someone can be demure and strong willed and own their sexuality - vidya parineeta is a good example of this

Someone can be foul mouthed and still feel vulnerable and underconfident

If your a nerd ur studying medicine or science/engineering ...coz u can’t be a nerd abt arts, movies, legal stuff, share market etc

Characters need more dimension rather than stock standard - spunky gal, tomboy, shy girl, nerd types

India and it's mentality has a lot of growing up to do. HYPOCRICY is something that is prevalent in all aspects of life there....and please do not blame any "patriarchy" because Women are the worst perpetrators of social hypocrisy and the hatred directed at other women plus the instigation of misogynistic practice the moment boys are out of their wombs...A society where hypocrisy, bigotry, prejudice, racism, classism and every imaginable ism is in practice then what you get in Bollywood has to conform because they are a business and they have to offer what clients buy.

Originally posted by: mintyblue

I read this book called 'Lowland' by Jhumpa Lahiri, and was intrigued by the woman character called Gauri in the book. She was selfish, flawed, independent and yet the heroine of the story. She was not docile, not restricted to patriarchal gaze but had a distinct and unique voice and characterisation. I wish Bollywood created more such characters.

I love that book. Hated Gauri so much though

Originally posted by: capricornrcks

I don't think Veeri di Wedding or Four More Shots were panned because of the characters' sex lives. I haven't seen either of these. I'm not a fan of chick-lit or women's fiction. But the former is from the House of Sonam and her productions aren't generally known for characters of depth. Her movies rarely get into the skin of the character other than being superficially 'different'. I didn't like the item song which treated men as things to be groped. I know that there are gazillion more out there doing the same to women. But both are equally offensive. Plus it is the nature of people to judge. You can't insist on going about flouting the rules of society (in this case casual sex) and still crave for approval from the same society. You can either be a rebel or a conformist, not both. As for Four More Shots, Zoya's movies generally tend to be criticized for being obsessed with the problems of the rich. Which is unfair but the rest of India don't seem to care that much. The 90s super rich and their unrealistic set-like mansions were equally unreal and out of a fairytale. But they didn't ask to be sympathized and considered as humans. On the other hand the 90s rich were almost universally portrayed as arrogant and cruel.

not a fan of "women's fiction" what does it even mean, a lot of fiction is written by women

They were in the past (like up until around late 00s) but not currently...

The sad thing is we'll never get to see the more talented actors of past eras playing the more layered and interesting characters we get today 😭

I remember when some Bollywood movies tried to convince us that a woman who chooses not to have a baby is actually selfish and a villain 😆

Originally posted by: floatyy

Where are all these lectures when women are objectified a million times more

I have made it clear in my earlier post that films objectifying women outnumber their counterparts by a large number. But that does not mean treating men as "things" to be groped about is anything to be proud about. Which was what Rhea Kapoor was doing in interviews.Both are equally wrong. Appreciate but don't objectify is what I said.

Originally posted by: floatyy

not a fan of "women's fiction" what does it even mean, a lot of fiction is written by women

"Women's fiction" is a category of fiction which is mainly about contemporary (usually affluent) older women as opposed "Women's writing" which is about books written by women. Consider the category as a sort of elder sister to chick-lit.