Bollywood: mother and promoter of gender stereotypes?

Abstract

Public and popular culture has profoundly created a whole new space in modern India. It engages transformation of the media and creation of wireless and electronic media along with entertainment which includes films, Bollywood movies, Tamil movies. Collectively, India has been on a consistent growth curve with the number of feature films produced and distributed in a year, making it one of the largest cinema industries worldwide. Though the narratives of Bollywood has been going through a shift i.e from overtly male-dominated and male-centric to all genders with movies like Mary Kom or Queen, there are still stereotypes that are ingrained in the minds of different generations. To understand the prevalent visual cues pertaining to gender stereotypes in the Bollywood, visual semiotic analysis has been done for famous movies - Pink and Lipstick Under my Burkha. Usage of different elements like font color on the poster, makeup, attire, gaze, and general aesthetics that impact the viewer's subconscious mind have been analyzed w.r.t the two movies. Although the main theme of both the movies is women empowerment, they still subject female characters to certain stereotypes that have been called out. The font of both movies is one of most common stereotypes that is associated with females. Talking about women empowerment doesn’t need to involve elements like ‘Pink’ to convey its message. The patriarchy still exists in India is undeniable. Women may be strong and funny when they are in their secret lives but the narrative that there exists a gap of voluntary push for empowerment in their oppressive lives is still prevalent. Finally, the bold makeup and western dresses that the female protagonist wear in the films are another stereotype created by Bollywood to depict a strong independent woman ready to fight against patriarchy/oppression.