Bollywood has played an imperative role in the worldwide entertainment industry since ages. Despite having a wide impact on the audience, Bollywood continues to reiterate the stereotypical representation of women particularly through the songs in which women are primary defined using the binary of a good woman and bad woman. Most of these songs are created to appease the male gaze, and putting forward how they perceive women to be.
These songs continue to reiterate sexist beliefs by portraying women as objects which are needed by men. Such songs continue to limit the existence of a woman in relation to a man. The objectification of women in Bollywood songs is so widespread that people are desensitized towards it. Examples of Bollywood songs which objectify women are, munni badnam, shelia ki jaawani, feviocol se and many others. Most individuals listen to these songs without even realizing how problematic these are, reinforcing these beliefs and making these songs a hit.
Many of our favorite songs propagate sexist beliefs and continue to be famous among the masses. Examples include Makhna, a Honey Singh song which became very famous recently. It starts off with the line “tujhe diamond jaise sambhal ke rakhna” implying that women are a commodity that men need to take care of. Similarly, there is another song which released recently Ek Chumma, which implies through its lyrics that a no is a disguised yes. Hence, men are entitled to tease women even if they have said no because of the assumption that women don’t mean it. Another example is the song, Pinky, which has this one line, “Mumbai ki na Dilli walon ki, Pinky hai paise walon ki” implying that women are a commodity who anyone with money can own, which not only objectifies women but also degrades them.
It is essential for the makers of such songs as well as the viewers to take some accountability for the content that they are creating and watching. The negative implications that these songs have on the youth are unimaginable, and hence it is imperative that the art that is being produced doesn’t propagate sexist beliefs and doesn’t negatively impact the societal attitudes and behaviors towards women.
I have also written a blog on this topic "Bollywood's Beat of Empowerment: The Rise of Women in Item Dance Numbers". While it's true that many songs in Bollywood have historically catered to the male gaze and perpetuated problematic stereotypes, recent trends show a gradual evolution. Take, for instance, the song "Sheila Ki Jawani" from "Tees Maar Khan" or "Dilbar" from "Satyameva Jayate." These songs, as discussed in my blog, can be seen as platforms where women embrace and showcase their femininity and sensuality with agency and confidence. They are not merely passive objects of desire but active subjects celebrating their own body and choices. My blog also acknowledges the criticisms surrounding objectification in item numbers. However, it suggests that modern item numbers are becoming more mindful of not reducing women to mere objects. Performances like Deepika Padukone’s in "Lovely" strike a balance between sensuality and artistic expression, suggesting a shift towards more empowered portrayals of women in Indian cinema.
While songs like “Makhna” or “Ek Chumma” might perpetuate problematic views, it's essential to recognize and encourage the progressive shifts happening alongside these. The transformation of item numbers into platforms of empowerment reflects a broader change in societal attitudes towards women.