Viva logo

What We Need To Unlearn From Indian Movies

A whole generation has grown up watching and revering to these movies without noticing any wrong with them.

By Richa KharePublished 2 years ago 5 min read
Like
What We Need To Unlearn From Indian Movies
Photo by Krists Luhaers on Unsplash

Picture this: A beautiful morning in a big and beautiful house with sounds of female singing coming, a few family members praying with their hands folded in a temple inside the house. The woman singing the prayer is conservatively dressed in a sari with her head covered and face full of devotion.

After the prayer, she gives everyone sweets known as "prasad," which is the offering to the gods. Everyone takes it with full reverence and eat joyfully.

The lady then hurries to the kitchen to make breakfast for everyone so that no men go out on an empty stomach.

Sound familiar? This is a typical scene from a "family" movie. These so-called "family" movies which are rated UG meaning fit for children viewership are doing more damage than many A-rated movies.

Why? Because these movies set a norm in everyone's mind that a woman's role is to get up before everyone else in the house (preferably before the sun comes up), take a shower, get ready as if going to a party, then proceed for pooja in the temple and then do her greatest duty for which she has taken birth - cooking.

Even if the house is full of servants, the lady of the house has to cook so that god's blessings are always upon the house and family members. She is given a special name, "Annapoorna," which means the goddess of food. By giving the status of a goddess, a woman is expected to behave and think like a god whose duty is to serve and bless everyone.

Why can't a woman be just a woman, a fellow human being with equal rights? Is it so difficult to give equal rights to women that for convenience we have raised her to the pedestal of divine being?

These are the teachings family movies are giving to society since the beginning of time. A whole generation has grown up watching and revering to these movies without noticing any wrong with it.

Thankfully, times have changed and now the movies have become more substantial than these frivolous things. But the damage has already been done. These have set the norms for an 'ideal woman,' one who is always considerate about her family and its needs and never thinks about herself. Elders in the family can say anything to her they like and she has to smile and say nothing otherwise they might be insulted.

With education, times have changed a lot in India and women are becoming more and more independent and vocal about their feelings. Still, a lot has to be done.

Another scene that is quite common in old movies (especially the '90s) shows the hero stalking the heroine relentlessly and doing all sorts of inexcusable stunts. Still, in the end, the heroine relents and falls in love with the hero.

What does this teach? Movies have a very strong impact on society, people learn from their favorite actors and movies. By showing these types of scenes, filmmakers are establishing that it's totally permissible to stalk anyone you like and in the end, the girl will be yours!

There's even a famous line used frequently in movies: "There's yes in a girl's no." How ridiculous it is?

Young boys take a cue from these movies and start harassing girls for which they themselves get in trouble many times and go behind bars. Some go to the extent of throwing acids on a girl's face if she says no because they can't take no for answer.

There's also a fine line between hero and villain. If a villain is doing the same thing, he's evil but who is going to define the difference between a hero and a villain in real life?

The boys watching the movie will obviously think themselves to be a hero so there's nothing wrong in harassing a girl of their choice because, in the end, she'll be theirs.

Girls' opinions don't matter, as usual.

And what to say about rape victims? Since time immemorial, these movies are having a hero's sister role just to get raped and then kill themselves because after rape they become dirty and there's only one way to purify - suicide.

According to the film director, there's no other aspect to a girl's life other than having her 'izzat' intact and remaining pure. Why can't she lead a normal and respectable life after the incident? Is her body the only thing important for her being, not her heart or brain?

Today, many movies are changing this by showing the woman retaliating by going to court. Although this is a good change still the procedure and court handling which is shown is so full of insult and hardships that instead of encouraging, it breaks the spirit of the girl. We need more movies to show how our judicial system and media are supportive of rape victims and society is also not the same as shown on screen. Everyone feels sympathy and not hate for victims.

If a person is murdered, does anyone questions what he/she was doing out so late at night or what clothes they were wearing? No, we don't, we just hate the murderer, and he's given suitable punishment.

There's no sympathy for the murderer. But when the question comes for a rape victim, everyone starts questioning the girl and finds excuses for the incitation of rape.

All this is shown openly in movies so that more and more girls become wary of seeking justice.

There are many such examples and our movies are full of regressive practices. It's high time our moviemakers realize the seriousness of this situation and start making some progressive and realistic movies that lead to a better society.

gender roles
Like

About the Creator

Richa Khare

Writer at heart and blogger by passion I love to write about various topics like Health and Wellness, Travel, Books, Kids etc. When not writing, I can be found playing with my two kids and three cats.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.