HYPOCRISY OF BOLLYWOOD

Whenever there’s a abuzz in the country over any incident of rape or crime against women, our Bollywood celebs come out with their online tweets and posts showing sympathy and disappointment at the situation. But behind this façade, the movies they contribute not only clearly show their apathy towards such incidents but in a way is one of the contributor to the problem itself.

  The 70's and 80's were periods when rape scene was a norm in Hindi films. Indian movies have now stooped to redundant sex-scenes and inane Item songs which are often a misfit in the script .But they are intentionally filmed and used as a bait to attract audience because the common masses enjoy such scenes. Now we have a item number in almost any movie coming out : Any actress dancing seductively in skimpy clothes with a bunch of drunk and lewd men ogling and dancing behind her or an actor surrounded by girls getting wild. And now ladies have a new career option in the industry-'Item Girls'.Actresses seem to have no objection in being potrayed in demeaning ways. Stripping your clothes off is a 'bold' scene. Movie posters show actress posing seductively. Is this what you call sexual liberation? Is this how actresses celebrate their womanhood?

Whistling, hooting and leering at a girl has always been a common scene in Indian movies.What Indian movies teach us is that it's normal and funny to whistle and pass sleazy comments on girls.Vulgar lyrics and lewd lines are shown to be worth of entertaining. In a way they encourage the potential rapists. Be it '3 Idiots' making fun of the word 'balatkaar' or a line from a hit-‘Rowdy Rathore’

aurat jab hoti hai satra, to badh jaata hai khatra

aur jab wo hoti hai tees, tab wo hoti hai cheez,

the list is countless.

Raunchy lyrics and suggestive choreography has become a trend these days. Our hypocritical Censor Board has no issues with the lyrics and filming of songs like 'pritam pyare','sheila ki jawani','choli ke peeche' ,'Chikini Chameli','Laila Teri Le Legi' etc.Imagine the mindset of the future generation growing up watching and dancing to such songs.

See our hypocrisy. We are the ones who march and protest against sexual violence. But at the same time we don't forget to ogle any young girl on the street or any actress we see on the screen. We tend to whistle and clap on double entendre and saucy lines and tap our feet to the item numbers. No wonder why such mean movies are a big hit and honey singh is a big star in India. If you enjoy vulgar scenes and sleazy lyrics; sexual objectification is what entertains you, i am sure you would pretty much enjoy a girl being raped or just be a silent bystander.

Bollywood Movies also teach us that if you constantly stare and follow the girl you like, initially she will resist and get infuriated but eventually she would fall in love with you. The hero constantly pesters and follows the heroine even if she says no and this is shown as it’s just a normal and integral part of romance. What message are you sending out? Also see the way kissing scenes or sex scenes are scripted in movies: the actor makes a sexual advance and the actress initially resists, but then finally responds positively. Given the fact that movies have a large influence on social behaviour, just imagine the serious repercussions of such scripts on the society.

How many movies have we made which portrays a woman protagonist with intelligence, skill or leadership qualities? Women are shown just as eye candy without any significant role in the script.A woman is always somebody’s wife or girlfriend; somebody’s daughter; somebody’s mother; somebody’s sister;she is never that’somebody’. Movies rarely portray the actress as an independent individual with her own intellect or ideas. And even when such attempts are made,these rarely fetch money at the box-office perhaps because eye-balls freeze only on watching bare skin or it is still hard for the largely patriarchal and misogynist Indian society to digest a women getting intelligent or her character getting beyond decorative.

Sexual objectification might not be the direct cause of sexual violence but no doubt fuels it. Filmmakers should portray woman as a subject and not an object of male fantasy.

SEXUAL ASSAULTS:Blinders Still Worn

The infamous 'Nirbhaya Rape Case' had sparked tremendous agitation and vehement protests and rallies all around the country. But now it seems that nothing has changed for the good. The reaction had been a sudden furore and people had just gone with the flow. They had marched and had vociferous demands and opinion without any self -introspection at an individual level. The only change that i notice is that girls are now advised more to dress modestly and parents are now more concerned about their daughter's safety than they used to be. The onus of remaining safe seems to have shifted more to women, instead of being shared by society and law-keepers.

Official data in India show that rape cases have jumped almost 875% over the past 40 years -- from 2,487 in 1971 to 24,206 in 2011, given the fact that most cases still are not reported. So in a country where female Gods like Durga, Kali, Shakti are worshipped the condition of the women remains terrible. Also sexual violence against the transgenders don't make it to the headlines. Sexual violence by husbands is ignored.

 Sexual assaults can also be visual or verbal. There are many factors which act backstage and contribute to increase in growing number of sexual assaults, deeply entrenched patriarchy and misogynistic mindset of the male folk is the largest contributor besides other factors like objectification of the women's body in movies, songs, tv shows, racy advertisements in the print and electronic media; the growing culture of provocative clothing and revealing outfits; growing consumption of alcohol and drugs; the wide circulation and easy accessibility of pornographic content; such factors constantly envelops us in an erotic and titillating environment, constantly boosts up the libido and if the temptation overpowers the conscience(which is very likely to be the case)the basic human desire of mating often finds immoral and abnormal channelization in the form of rape, molestation, exhibitionism, frotteurism, voyeurism etc..

Rape is ubiquitous. i think it has very little to do with  the way women dress. Of course, Provocative Clothing could be the cause of sexual arousal but it should not be related to the act of rape which involves cowardly act of violent and non-consensual forceful sex.  Normal sexual urge and rapist mentality are very different. Even child girls are raped. Also the fact that sexual assaults are so common in places where women are covered from head to toe. So i think rape is more related to patriarchy and misogyny and male chauvinism. Patriarchy is rooted in our culture, societal structure and even religions. Boys are brought up to be sexually aggressive, dominant and conquering, as a way of affirming their masculinity. Most men and boys i know consider themselves superior and entitled to dominate their sisters or girlfriends. In many societies, men who do not act in this traditional masculine way are ostracized by their peers and considered effeminate. Even most religious texts support male-domination.

 -The media also objectifies the women folk. it is very clear when you see advertisements or music videos and even video-games meant for children .Nowadays, raunchy lines and double entendre have become so common in movies and almost every movie comes out with an item song in which a girl with skimpy dress would gyrate around lewd men to some vulgar lyrics.Even in Disney Movies, the female character is highly sexualized with large breasts,a thin waist,fluttering eyelashes and coy expressions.Such portrayal deeply influences the mindsets of growing children. 

-The wide and easily availability of porn provides an outlet for sexual impulse but pornography has traditionally been made by and for men, and women are just portrayed as sex-objects, lump of flesh for sexual satisfaction. Pornography has substantial sexual violence involved.

Social-stigma attached to the rape leaves many rape cases unreported and also harasses the girl mentally and emotionally. Our society is largely patriarchal and judgemental and it often reacts as if the victim is also to be blamed for it. Incidents like rape or molestation is thought to besmirch the reputation of the victim and her family.’ ‘Izzat lut gayi’  is how we’ve been reacting to the victims of sexual assaults. A complete nonsense...How can one relate a crime committed against someone to his/her dignity or reputation. Ignominy should be for the perpetrator and not the victim. And see the hypocrisy of the people they advise every girl to dress modestly but don't forget to ogle any girl on the street. So there is a visual rapist behind a facade of decency-driven moral policing.

Dressing modestly, getting back home earlier at night, keeping pepper spray or joining karate classes; fast track courts, castration, death penalties could serve as partial deterrents but could never be any step towards the cure of the menace because we are still hitting the wrong button.

To the females: Respect the sharp line between sexual liberation and immodesty.To the males: Your chivalry won't help unless you truly believe in equality of both the sexes.