Himmatwala

Ajay Devgan’s Himmatwala has gained quite a reputation for itself, both in a positive as well as negative way. His comment that only a few Bollywood actors can make a movie named Himmatwala and for the rest it will be Himmatwaali, was clearly very patriarchal in nature. Calcutta Times (the supplementary of Times of India) had even asked him in their exclusive interview regarding the obsession with ultra macho film names. He had just given a cold shoulder to that question. But can it really be ignored? Isn’t there some basis in the criticism that the way Bollywood portray women and sexuality in general, it actually helps promote patriarchy? Does it not strike you that through all these, the stereotyping and male domination in society is only getting deeper and stronger?

Many have raised a hue and cry over item songs. Those in defense of the latter, have actually pointed out to the hypocrisy of those crying foul, as the same people don’t consider the saas-bahu kind of serials as patriarchal. Don’t they propagate the fact that women are only meant to be condemned to eternal domestic slavery? And yet, the ones actually pointing out this quite legitimate element of hypocrisy are themselves exhibiting double standards.

If 30 second advertisements can coax a person to try out new products, how come the same kind of stereotyping is not going to have a certain impact on the minds of the people? How can these people deny that mainstream Bollywood or media portrayal of sex, gender and women is terribly patriarchal in nature?