From using dupatta as a symbol of izzat, Bollywood has been fighting a good chunk of damage done in the past, as we progress with demonstration of sensitive issues on a celluloid. On one hand a fraternity that struggles with the censor board for freedom of expression, it has recently witnessed its crusaders dictate what freedom of choice means in reality. No, we’re not going to the sexist, misogynistic parameters where men have schooled women on what they need to wear if they wish to avoid unwanted attention. In this case, we have a good line-up when our very own broad minded Bollywood divas went imbecile with regressive comments.
Katrina Kaif on a chat show expressed her concern over Janhvi Kapoor’s extremely short shorts. By stating that it worries her, Katrina may have just suggested that clothes are responsible for anything bad that could possibly happen to a woman. Does it make any difference than the lady from Gurgaon who told a group of girls that they shouldn’t wear short clothes in public if they wished to not get raped?
Recently at Baba Siddiqui’s Iftar party, major stalwarts of Bollywood were seen in attendance. Among the lot were the Khan clan including Arbaaz Khan’s girlfriend Giorgia Andriani. A video circulated on social media shows Khan’s younger sister Arpita telling Andriani to cover her cleavage with her dupatta and even went on to pull it down herself! While some may consider it as a much helpful deed on part of Arpita, we think it was unnecessary. Arpita may not be familiar with the idea that a plunging neckline doesn’t mean indecency. Being a woman herself and belonging to a family that supposedly thinks ahead of a common clan, this action needs a slow clap in 2019 for Arpita being at rescue and saving the day.
Kangana Ranaut has been on a frenzy of expressing herself in the media. She also doesn’t shy away from the political scenario and serious issues like cow vigilantism, and may seem like a good citizen with above average intellect. But in a statement where she said that a woman should be ashamed if she cannot drape a saree, is definitely difficult to gulp down. Why is draping a saree being associated to shame. Aren’t women shamed enough for putting themselves first on a daily basis? A country that is willing to change its local train’s logo from a saree-clad woman to the one in a blazer, has an actress going naïve in her thought process. Maybe Kangana got confused when it came to being a murat of feminism which advanced into a champion of nine-yards.
2018 was swept away by the MeToo Movement in India. A wave that was anticipated but has probably gone hostile as now, with more and more accused making their way back to normal. During a panel discussion with her contemporaries, Rani Mukerji was called out for urging girls in joining self-defence, but not coming to the idea that boys need to be conditioned to respect women. Being a mother who has a daughter of her own, speaking irresponsibly on a reputed panel, suggests she needs to watch her words. Gone are the days when actors would make statements and it was considered patthar ki lakeer. Simply being the lead of a film titled as ‘Mardaani’ (again asking girls to be like men) does not make her the torch bearer of women fighting off physically. Our hazel eyed actress probably forgot that harassment also includes invasion of mental space.
All in all, we believe, women in Bollywood need to adopt the policy of Lilly Singh who constantly urges ‘girl love’. It is a concept that makes you think twice before bringing down another woman. All of the above statements were absolutely redundant in a time where we are fighting for women empowerment. It’s about time, we think ‘like a woman’.
