Rise of Strong Independent Characters: Mapping the Reframed Identities of Women in Hindi Films

Abstract

The Bollywood industry plays a pivotal role in Indian society and the cinema is an indispensable medium of not just entertainment, but empowerment and spreading awareness too. Over the years, film makers have shifted their focus from making just drama-loaded, comedy, commercial, profitable cinemas and have started portraying the realities of life and society. In particular, there has been a rise of films made on women and the injustices or malpractices done against them. Films and filmmakers are now documenting women-related issues and dwelling into the themes of equality, rights, agency, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and consent amongst others.
This paper will analyse Bollywood films made on issues affecting women in the Indian subcontinent. In the paper, three different Indian films released between 2001 - 2015 will be dissected and explored to understand how women and their problems are represented and addressed in the visual medium. It would look at three films Lajja (2001), Dor (2006), and Parched (2015) and derive how women and their issues were treated and represented in the films. These films—made on the issues of patriarchy, female bonds, honour killing, female foeticide, sexual abuse, rape, domestic abuse, violence, etc.—were released way ahead of time.