|
|
|
| Free E-magazine |
| Subscribe to our Free E-Magazine on Films. |
| Learn More |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Home > Articles > Sex and Violence in Indian Cinema
| |
| | Sex and Violence in Indian Cinema
| |
| |
 Cinema has been a dominant medium in India because of the sheer size and reach of its indigenous film industry. The Indian film industry produces about 800 feature films annually, surprisingly the highest in the world for all age groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and geographical locations within India. Thus, the importance of sexual and violent portrayals in motion pictures is particularly relevant to Indian audiences, not only because these portrayals are viewed in abundance, but also because issues of sexuality are rarely discussed in other contexts. Since ages Bollywood has worked on the tried and tested formula of boy meeting a girl, falling in love and eventually marrying and living happily ever after. This formula has worked since times immoral and the same is viewed to be revived in every films for their success at the box- office. Thus, one can find the typical film portraying unrequited love and family values, but there is now a new Bollywood, adopting a more western style in an appeal to a wider audience.
Indian film portrayals form a "privileged arena for construction of sexuality" for the common person, and serve as primary sources of information about how men and women are to behave in sexual relationships. The film medium is influential, especially with teenaged boys, in teaching notions about masculinity, power, and violence in relationships with women, hence children and adolescents use especially teen magazines and prime-time television programs as sexual scripts for learning about dominant norms concerning gender, love, and sexuality. Some types of explicit images, particularly those that contain aggression, can lead to harmful effects on viewers, like rapists/non-criminals, hyper masculine men, whether or not the participants are under the influence of alcohol, propensity to use force, the environment, and additional cultural factors. Despite these factors, however, exposure to media portrayals of sexually explicit material can have a variety of effects on viewers` attitudes and behaviors, many of which are causes for concern.
 Despite massive Bollywood romantic blockbusters such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Devdas and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, concentratating on the themes of love and romance, the filmmakers are becoming interested in the values of western cinema. Thus, resulting the remakes of Hollywood films designed to cater for the Indian audience. This trend has involved the inception of sex and violence in the hindi films to a large extent. A prime example being Raaz, a remake of Michelle Pfeiffer`s What Lies beneath. Others included in the list are Aetbaar, which was a classic remake of Reese Witherspoon`s Fear and the 1993 blockbuster Baazigar, which was India`s version of A Kiss Before Dying.
 The Indian cinema has entered a new stage of evolution. After the first onscreen kiss in 1980`s, there has been a gradual increase of action, violence, bloodshed, and above all sexuality on display. Gone are the days when an actress would be wrapped in an elegant sari performing a traditional classical dance; nowadays she`s more likely to be dressed in a very skimpy and revealing outfit shaking her hips. The golden era had specifically item girls (Helen, Bindu, Jayshree T, Madhumati and others) performing erotic, seductive cabaret numbers. However, this trend has gone a way further up and this genre of dance sequences have been explored by the recent actresses...ofcourse all for the moolah!
Apart from the dances, the hindi films are also seen depicting unnecessary sexuality just to arouse the viewers. "A lot of skin show is required for the success of the films", seems to be the mantra of this generation of filmmakers. It is also observed that the abuse of women is often glorified within Indian cinema. Although many critics have voiced concerns, very few researchers have dealt with sexually violent portrayals in Indian films. In a rare study of its kind, it was proved that these films conveyed the notion that force and physical aggression were legitimate means of expressing romantic love. Therefore, sexual violence was not only "normal" but also "expected" in romantic relationships between heroes and heroines.
 The recent films are also made with a high dosage of sex and violence, to a point of no return for the viewers, who mostly try to ape the western antics and culture. Films such as Bandit Queen, focussing heavily on the ill treatment of the women in the Indian society, proved the directors point of interest by depicting high sexual and violent scenes. This film, had hence created huge media interest and discussion. Also, the 1997 film Fire, the first ever Bollywood film about lesbians, proved that there were now no taboos that could not be explored by Indian filmmakers.
The movies like Murder, Khwahish, Chocolate and the others are a testimony to the fact that most of the films inspired by the westernized theme do contain heavy doses of sex and violence. However, despite the changes, some of the Bollywood films have yet remained distinctively Indian; their greatest strength.  The recent movies like Lage Raho Munnabhai and Dor, are great examples of this. With a great deal of concentration on their storyline, the films directors (Rajkumar Hirani and Nagesh Kukunoor, respectively) have remained confined to their values and culture. With directors like these, one can surely believe that the Indianness in the Indian films can be restored back.
Some films like Lagaan, Paheli, Rang De Basanti and Black have already won rare reviews in the foreign countries and the actors also have won accolades for their performances all around the world. This definitely proves that there is no dearth of good talent in India and these filmmakers are open to experimentation of good subjects to make meaningful cinema. Due to such compliments it is clear that one day India will not only have the largest film industry in the world, but will also provide the world with one of its dominant forms of entertainment.
| |
| |
|
