EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
OF
MINOR RESEARCH PROJECT
ON
Portrayal of Woman in selected Popular Hindi Films
(2005-2010) : A Feministic Perspective
In the present minor research project, the study of portrayal of woman in popular
Hindi Films released between 2005 and 2010 has been undertaken to explore the urgent
issue of woman portrayal in popular literature like films. The work was carried out with the
systematic methodology, logical analysis and derived reasoned conclusions.
Origin of the research problem and Hypothesis:
The researcher felt that it is the general acceptable notion that films are the best
means of entertainment. It is the also the best reflector of culture being lived in the given setup. It is a reality in India that films are like religion to people. It is observed that despite of
building consciousness of feministic studies all over the globe, the portrayal of woman
character in the contemporary Hindi cinema has not been keeping pace with the ideological
matrices of the internationally celebrated movement called Feminism. Even today, woman
in films is portrayed as stereotyped, submissive as well as a decorative “thing”. Hence, it is
the need of the hour to look into the affair from the objective lens.
Aims and Objectives:
The present research project was aimed to depict and analyze the woman-character
portrayal in the Contemporary Hindi films that were released between 2005 and 2010. It
also objectified to to tackle the gender-biased attitude of the film-makers.
Scope and Limitations:
The researcher has considered only Major Hindi Films released between 2005 and
2010 and only popular widely known as blockbuster films were selected that were,
released between 2005 and 2010
Selection of Popular Hindi Films:
Selection of the popular Hindi films released between 2005 and 2010 has been done
with help of survey. A survey of popular Hindi films released between the aforesaid period
was undertaken by the researcher in terms of various parameters such as making budget,
box office collection, star-cast etc. It was concluded that on an average around 100 films are
released in a year. Films cover up various issues, themes and concerns and were termed
as action thriller, romance, comedy, tragi-comedy etc. Based on the Bollywood index of Boxoffice collection, popular Hindi films such as No Entry, Dhoom 2, Welcome, Om Shanti Om
and 3 idiots were selected.
Chapter-scheme:
The present project has been completed in five chapters.
Chapter I Introduction:
The researcher has taken a brief survey of genre called Hindi Films. He has asserted
that, Hindi films can be categorised on the basis of timeframe in a given decade. Films from
1947 to 1958 during the period of which films were adapted the Indian mythological
framework feeding the public with the rich Indian spiritual heritage. Films after 1960 depicted
the then existing social reality envisaging public about their concerning the domain of
warfare, nation building process, upliftment of the downtrodden, ignorance, romance in the
prevailing caste-system . 1980 aftermath witnessed the birth of a young man angered with
the corrupt establishment colored with action, violence, romance. 1990 flair of Hindi films is
a tale of family drama where values such as love , harmony, comradadarie, togetherness
dominate the imaginative legacy of audience. Films that were released between 2005 and
2010 are cosmopolitan mixture of romance, action, comedy, drama and suspense. Films
such as have tremendous impact on Indian psyche.
Chapter 2 Hindi Films: Popular Indian Aesthetics:
The researcher has introduced Hindi Film Industry from its inception of the first Hindi
Film released in India, Shree Pundalik on 18 May 1912 by Marathi filmmaker Dadasaheb
Torane to the present era. The chapter deals with a brief history of Hindi Films that has gone
through various phases..From the First walkie-talkie Aalam Aara, researcher asserted, Hindi
films have gone through climactic phases shaping the Indian milieu in creative enterprise.
The period from 1944 to 1960 is cherished as the Golden Age of Indian cinema. 'Parallel
Cinema' movement was being firmly established in Indian cinema. Its influence on World
Cinema can also be felt in the "youthful coming of age dramas that have flooded art houses
since the mid-fifties" which "owe a tremendous debt to the Apu trilogy". Satyajit Ray and
Ritwik Ghatak went on to direct many more critically acclaimed ‘art films’, and they were
followed by other acclaimed Indian independent filmmakers such as Mrinal Sen, mani Kaul,
Adoor Gopalkrishna et al. Commercial Hindi Cinema also began thriving, with examples of
acclaimed films at the time include the Guru Dutt films Pyaasa (1957) and Kagaz ke Phool
(1959) and the Raj Kapoor films Awaara (1951) and Shree 420 (1955). These films
delineated social themes mainly dealing with working-class urban populace in India; Awaara
presented the city as both a nightmare and a dream, while Pyaasa is a critique of the
unreality of city life. Some epic films were also produced at the time, including Mehboob
Khan’s Mother India (1957), which was nominated for the academy Award for Best Foreign
language Film andK. Asif’s Mughal-e-Azam (1960), V. Shantaram’s Do Ankhe Barah Haat
(1957) is believed to have inspired themany a Hollywood film. Other mainstream Hindi
filmmakers at the time included Kamal Amrohi and Vijay Bhatt. Modern Indian cinema in
1970s , nevertheless, saw the rise of commercial cinema in form of enduring films such as
Anand (1971), Amar Prem (1971) and Kati Patang (1972), establishing Rajesh Khanna as
the first Superstar of Indian Cinema. Later, in mid 70s, action films like Zanjeer (1974) and
Sholay (1975), defined Amitabh Bachchan as a lead actor.
The chapter also explicates the influences, genres, styles such as masala films,
parallel Cinema, film music. It concludes that the end of the 20th century and the beginning
of the 21st saw extensive interaction between artists from India and the western world. Artists
from Indian diaspora blended the traditions of their heritage to those of their country to give
rise to popular contemporary music.
Chapter 3 Review of Related Literature:
In this chapter the researher has undertaken review of related literatures on the topic
under study. It highlights Feministic film criticism which addresses woman depiction in
popular literatures. The chapter deals with the pronouncements of film critics such as
Chistian Metz, Cynthia a. Freeland, Kaul C., Michelle Larkin, Priyambada Baghwati, Shoma
Chatterji, Kumkum Roy and Laura Mulay et al.
After having studied the review of literatures of the aforesaid film-critics, the researcher has
firmly affirmed the need of the study of representation of woman in popular literature such
as films.
Chapter 4 Women character Analysis: Feministic Perspectives
The researcher has adopted content analysis method of studying and analyzing
woman portrayal in systematic, objective and quantities manner for the purpose of measuring
variables. The five selected Popular Hindi films such as No Entry, Dhoom 2, Welcome, Om
Shanti Om and 3 idiots have been analyzed in tabular forms in various dimensions such as
Length of movie, total length woman pictured, Leading characters,,,kinds of woman
characters, Art of living of woman characters, Symbolism of non-virtue pertaining to presence
on screen, type of woman-character costume etc.
After having carried out the Content analysis of the selected popular Hindi Films
released between 2005 and 2010, the researcher concludes that there are 3-3-3 main and
supportive women characters. Most of the women characters are stereotypes, performing
characters of wife, girlfriend. Most of the women characters of the mentioned movies are
portryed as ideal housewives. All these movies are male leading movies. All the selected
films employ woman just as a decorative agent. Woman is hardly given any substantial stuff.
She is ‘used’ as a signifier of sexual object keeping her on periphery on the matrix of films.
Chapter 5 Conclusion:
In all, after having studied all the selected films in their portrayal of women the
researcher draws conclusions. He strongly states that the fact emerges as a crystal clear
that in spite of so much philosophical, ideological orientation has been done in the study of
woman representation in popular literatures such as films, woman is still objectified. The
same age-old bias continues overriding creative enterprise. She is shown homely,
submissive, ready-to-explore object. The filmmakers hardly acknowledge her strong
conviction that she is quite equal to her male counterpart in all the aspects. She is utilized
as somebody to evoke sensual instincts among onlookers. She is referred to with derogatory
terms as ‘maal, item,patakha’ which are enjoyed by audience. It clearly states, the researcher
asserts, masculine perception of woman in the twenty-first century. However there are
filmmakers that acknowledge her strength and give her deserve cinematic space in their
films.
This is high time to think about this grim reality. Film fraternity need to consider this
fact and devise their plots giving her deserved position. They have to reconsider their attitude
towards woman and should depict her with all the objective parameters. Film Fraternity may
be boasting of their industry as the leading, laborious, industrious and bussiness-wise at par
with Hollywood, but unless it gives woman what she, as a human being deserves, it will not
justify the rationale of creative enterprise in the true sense of the word. Once it is attained
it, only then we will sing, dance and rejoice are what films objectify.
In conclusion, the researcher says that Indian cinema industry has changed
significantly since 1947 earning a name for it worldwide for its techniques, subject matter
dealings, catching mass attention. Indian films are now combating with western productions
on the world stage, winning prestigious international awards. The saga of success of Indian
cinema across the world is spreading the rich cultural traditions of Indian milieu in the pretexts
of dance, music and rich diversified culture to a global audience. Culture is the essential
factor in the modern society and cinema has turned out to be a catalyst in reflecting various
colours of life. It reflects many trends, existing virtues, social struggles, and the living social
norms, structures of thought and varied patterns. The Indian cinema portrays the essence of
the Indian society. The Indian cinema boasts of the ethnic and traditional values of the Indian
society, its cultural diversity and the unity among the varied cultural and religious sects. Thus
it plays a very important in depicting the Indian values to the world, opening a panorama of
richness to the world. This is the reason the Indian films are very popular all around Asia and
also in other parts of the world.
Dr. G. B. Kalyanshetti
Principal Investigator