Where Is The Outrage Over Demeaning Portrayal Of Women In Films?

Akshay Kumar's upcoming film, Laxmmi is yet again in the eye of the storm, barely a couple of days before its OTT release. "Ban Laxmi Movie" is trending on Twitter, with numerous users asking for a boycott of the film, alleging that it is "making fun" of Goddess Lakshmi and promoting love jihad. It must be noted here that the film is yet to release, and has already undergone a title change following outrage. But clearly, it wasn't enough. Religion is a sensitive subject in India. Any film that references any god, goddess or religious figure, of any faith, is bound to draw ire if it fails to appease conservative sentiment of the concerned faith. However, it is ironic that in our films, one never sees such outrage over the wrongful portrayal of women.

Why does the demeaning portrayal of women in our films and pop-culture not enrage us to the extent that the portrayal of a religion, a deity or a community does? Women are half the population of this country. And yet when a "hero" is shown slapping a woman, or when a "heroine" is objectified to cater to the male gaze, why do we let such transgression on behalf of the film industry pass? What does our attitude say about our priorities as a nation and a society?

Also Read:  Laxmmi Bomb Objectifies Transgender People For Cheap Thrills: Trailer Review

For decades now, women have been demeaned in cinema to an extent that they undo the good done by meaningful sensitive films like Thappad, Queen, Tumhari Sulu and Lipstick Under My Burkha. In massy commercial films, women are still projected to be in constant need of male protection and guidance. A sexually active woman with multiple partners is still projected as promiscuous, while a man doing the same is sold to the viewers as someone to be idolised. His active sex life makes him virile, her sex life makes her cheap, bold or someone who needs to be domesticated.

When a woman walks into a frame wearing a short skirt or a dress with a plunging neckline, the male viewers feel entitled to objectify her. These viewers feel entitled to objectify any woman who doesn't fit their definition of demure. They feel it is their birthright to show women their place by instigating violence against women on social media to protect their sanskars. In their heads, these men think of themselves as hypermasculine heroes who must police women. Clearly, they don't know what is good for them. So when cinema impacts us so deeply, why does its negative impact on how women are treated and perceived in our society not bother us? Why are we okay with glamourisation of sexism, the romanticisation of policing and revering of male ego?

It is not as if Laxmmi doesn't raise any red flags. As Priyanka Chakraborty pointed out in her review of the film's trailer for SheThePeople, the film is a representational catastrophe that does a disservice to the entire transgender and queer community. "One of the ways in which marginalised groups are deprived of their rights is through their portrayal as gods and goddesses or attributing some extraordinary powers to them. Such portrayals do a disservice to the entire community," writes Chakraborty. You can read more about it here.

Another issue with the film is the problematic age gap between the film's lead couple. A 53-year-old Kumar romancing a 28-year-old Advani, does it seem like an acceptable casting choice? And not just in this film but in many others like Dabangg, Toilet Ek Prem Katha, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, etc the age gap raises an eyebrow. Yet another way women are objectified in our films is on the parameters of age, waist size and skin tone. However, people won't take offence to these issues, because they don't affect them.

Also Read: Cinema Goers Too Are Responsible For Bollywood's Gender Pay Gap

Representation of transgender people, women and marginalised communities in films has seldom led to the furore of this level, and that should make us question our sensitivity, empathy and willingness to grant others an equal status.

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The views expressed are the author's own.