the portrayal of women in Indian Television

[creation]

Take Indian Televison for example, kyunki saas bhi bahu thi, and the like. Each serial dishes out the same props and it works. There is a Maaa, who dotes on her infinite number of sons. Maybe there is an adopted one or illegitemate , to take the story forward. The never ending list of male children grow up , join the FAMILY business and marry their girfriends. The saga of bickering women and manipulative schemers begins.



1. The obedient daughter in law who cares for elders, listens to husband ..The ideals of manusmriti re-lived.

2. The scheming vamp, donning low cut blouses , and colored hair , big bindis. She's meant to look seductive and repulsive at the same time?

3. The other woman - the mistress obsessed with the docile male lead , enticing him to have an affair with her, begets a child whom the pativrata wife brings home in keeping with the notions of the ideal wife, - the forgiving un-person.



Most movies and serials adopt this formula ...and this is acceptable to the general masses which seeks titillation of different kinds.

[akhilis2cool]

Sad but true.



Worst offender being Kasauti Zindagi Kay (:? ) . the leading lady has married two ppl...who themselves have had more than one marriage....

she is like aaj iske paas....kasl uske paas

[Betty]

On careful inspection of most of the serials, specially the 'K' ones, I have come to the conclusion that if these serials are reflections of the truth, then I am not a Indian woman at all.... just might fit into the role of the 'vamps' but for that need to buy a whole lot of makeup, bindis and practice raising eyebrows and wearing coloured lenses....

[akhilis2cool]

On careful inspection of most of the serials, specially the 'K' ones, I have come to the conclusion that if these serials are reflections of the truth, then I am not a Indian woman at all.... just might fit into the role of the 'vamps' but for that need to buy a whole lot of makeup, bindis and practice raising eyebrows and wearing coloured lenses....

Dont forget to practice talking to urself so loudly that everyone is able to hear it

[spamtaneous]

my mon watches them all...and if possible the same serial in various languages...telugu tamil hindi

[vivek]

I think Ekkkkkta Kkapoor is a genious. She knew what would run and run and run...and she made just that. She is the god mother if Indian afternoon television. She created the so called Saas Bahu stuff and she is responsble for Star Parivaar awards (phew!).



Its a business of showing something that goes in never ending loops.



Kyun Ki Saas Bhi kahbi bahu thi..kyun ki bahu bhi kabhi saas hogi (loop to infinite)



This way you don't have end any series. Watch them to note how monotony served in the most gaudy fashion becomes the #1 show.



I think these serials remind that we underestimated the potential of Indian housewives..

[CtrlAltDel]

*dadaang...dadaang...dadaang...dadaang...dadaang...dadaang...dadaang...dadaang...*

[akhilis2cool]

Ne one seen the movie Sadesaat phere?

its a good watch for all the 'k' series haters.

[Sachin]

Guys I think we hav to accept the fact tat those serials are a big hit coz I think almost 40% of the ppl watch it. 60% of indian population in under 30. Now isnt this a striking fact.... well young men and women enjoy watchin these SOAPS I am sure.... U can complain as much as u can but at the end of the day those guys are achieving wat they are striving for make money, become famous.... wat not....

[DQ]

Hmm atleast thats taking care of the various aspects of a womans life.

What about the potrayal of the Women in other Cinema / TV.



Either a Woman



- Is a slut

- Or a Girlfreind who has had multiple relationships

- Or an executive wh has slept with every other male and nowadays female too in town.

[san]

i was going to start a thread along similar lines...



what on earth do they show in these soaps. milee, jassi, yeh meri life hain etc etc i feel like crying every time i'm subject to it. can't always escape and it is such a torture



oooo maa please spare me



and why is every one getting married to everyone else and then having affairs all over the place. this is not life as we see in India or anywhere else, so how do they cook up such stuff.

[betty]

It is sheer hypocrisy....these serials are supposed to depict Indian culture, so the women dress up in silk sarees, heavy jewellery even while cooking and sleeping, and they maintain a chaste distance between them and their husbands....and then, the same serials show people having extra-marital relationships, illegitimate kids, etc...and some family members scheming agianst others..and all the working women are bad, becuase they don't take care of their family, which is their 'primary' duty'....in short, everything is far removed from reality in indian families...maybe that is also one more reason why these soaps work.



If they don't have saas-bahu serials, they have 'different' ones like Jassi (I used to like the initial episodes because at least the female was shown to be intelligent), dekho magar pyar se, ye meri life hai, etc. in which the female is either plain, or grotesquely misshapen and suddenly has a makeover to win over hurdles, boyfriends, business deals, etc.



Basically they have women in 2 categories:

1. The good ones are those who:

a) either dress up in indian clothes with loads of jewellery. They have long hair and a perpetual smile on their faces. They are married and talk of their husbands as if they are god.

b) or dress up in very decent/boring western clothes. They look like geeks or are needy people who bury themselves in studies, struggle in their jobs and are overlooked as plain janes and finally come out trumps because someone else takes pity on them or they have a makeover.



2. The bad ones are those who:

a) wear loads of makeup especially weird bindis and eyeliners, low cut blouses, colour their hair and are always scheming to break a family.

b) or wear mini skirts, have multiple boyfriends, don't work at places where they are employed, and are always scheming to harm the heroine.

[CtrlAltDel]

The bad ones are those who:
.
.
.
b) or wear mini skirts, have multiple boyfriends, don't work at places where they are employed...

why havent i met any of those ^^^ bad girls yet?

[creation]

Next thing that disturbs me is the phenonmenon of item numbers! The very use of the word "item" signifies what the ladies at the dance bar dancing to pulsating beats are meant for. And every heroine is ready to do it. Its the only pathway to popularity. Even Aishwarya Rai - the cultural ambassador of India to the west has to shed the ice maiden image for a more vulgar kind of sexuality. So she has no other option but to item dance like a ping pong ball with Abhishek Bacchan and Amitabh Bacchan to climb the charts of her fleeting career.



Then we have a list of Item Gals who grow bolder by the day daring every new audience with a new version of nudity. Other important paraphernalia in the 'must-have' sensual number in the movie are rain and a white sari.

[Sachin]

Next thing that disturbs me is the phenonmenon of item numbers! The very use of the word "item" signifies what the ladies at the dance bar dancing to pulsating beats are meant for. And every heroine is ready to do it. Its the only pathway to popularity. Even Aishwarya Rai - the cultural ambassador of India to the west has to shed the ice maiden image for a more vulgar kind of sexuality. So she has no other option but to item dance like a ping pong ball with Abhishek Bacchan and Amitabh Bacchan to climb the charts of her fleeting career.

Then we have a list of Item Gals who grow bolder by the day daring every new audience with a new version of nudity. Other important paraphernalia in the 'must-have' sensual number in the movie are rain and a white sari.

SEX and SENSUALITY SELL IN THE INDIAN CINEMA HENCE THE ABOVE

[DQ]

Which Cinema is without that ? Its not only Indian Cinema its all Cinema.

[Xeno]

Which Cinema is without that ? Its not only Indian Cinema its all Cinema.

Yeah its in movies everywhere the only difference is that cinema in western countries is I should say is honest when they want to show sex they do so honestly and completely whereas in India they try to be Vulgar without actually being vulgar like rain dance sequences in a wet Sari and those overacted emotions and all which make it look gorss actually...

[Betty]

Which Cinema is without that ? Its not only Indian Cinema its all Cinema.

Very true. What differs is the way they show it, but the ultimate objective is the same.

the only difference is that cinema in western countries is I should say is honest when they want to show sex they do so honestly and completely whereas in India they try to be Vulgar without actually being vulgar like rain dance sequences in a wet Sari and those overacted emotions and all which make it look gorss actually....

Well, gross or not, depends on how it is picturised, and this holds true for western as well as Indian movies. So, I'd prefer Rani Mukherjee in the rain in the title song of 'Hum Tum' anyday over Mallika and Emran making out in 'Bheege Hont tere'. Or Catherine Zeta-Jones and Antonio Banderas dancing in 'Mask of Zorro' to Rani and Kamal Hassan kissing in 'Hey Ram', whether the former is a honest portrayal or not doesn't matter.



Also, though not fully, but at least partly, movies do try to adhere to the current social practises. In India, even if we have leapt forward to catch up with western countries, you don't jump into bed on the first date....usually.So, sex is more in the minds than in the act. Which explains the dream sequences and also the 'representative' form of cinema in India.

[CtrlAltDel]

Also, though not fully, but at least partly, movies do try to adhere to the current social practises. In India, even if we have leapt forward to catch up with western countries, you don't jump into bed on the first date....usually.So, sex is more in the minds than in the act. Which explains the dream sequences and also the 'representative' form of cinema in India.

^^^ that is right. since the time Indian cinema began, sex and kissing were largely taboo subjects and the only alternative b4 the film makers to show intimacy was thru songs...



but these days i feel songs have outlived their use and shud be replaced with aesthetically shot sex or making out sequences, unless of corz the film is a musical and songs are relevant to the storyline.

[betty]

but these days i feel songs have outlived their use and shud be replaced with aesthetically shot sex or making out sequences, unless of corz the film is a musical and songs are relevant to the storyline.

In a way you are right...but again, watching a movie in India is sort of a family outing sometimes, and yes, even now, personally I am not comfortable watching such 'scenes' with my parents, can't comment on whether it will be fine if I watch them with my kids. So, I cannot forego a whole movie for a few minutes of ucomfortable scenes.



Also, call my tastes outdated, stupid, impractical or whatever, I love songs in a movie and that's the first thing I miss in an english movie. It might be because in India, we have songs for all occassions, from marriage to pujas to child birth, so it seems pretty natural. Of course, some songs are an irritant when not correctly placed, but all in all, they provide relief in a continuous narrative and are wonderful showcases of poetic and creative talent, except of course when talent is non-existent in horrible or 'lifted' songs.

[CtrlAltDel]

some songs are an irritant when not correctly placed, ......
when talent is non-existent in horrible or 'lifted' songs.

arent these the case on most occasions...? IMO, only a tiny percentage of songs do not break the flow of a story and are relevant to the movie.



abt watching with family etc, i feel if we are comfortable withsongs where the actors expose themselves or perform a raunchy number, we can as well watch aesthetically shot bedroom scenes...

[ycr007]

well,sex in movies was there since long,but earlier it was 'restricted' to Z grade movies but nowadays we see it in every second movie.

I was going thru DC Tabloid today and half the movie ads were for kinky movies



and nowadays even television is being inundated with these kinda programmes,samrajyams etc...and most of the elders i know are jus' shrugging and acknowledging these happenings as 'moving ahead with times'

[rock_26iin]

but these days i feel songs have outlived their use

I agree to ^^^that but not to thisVV

and shud be replaced with aesthetically shot sex or making out sequences

unless of corz the film is a musical and songs are relevant to the storyline.

Musicals are a rarity in Indian cinema (although each movie has nearly 10 songs) and since when did running around trees become relevant to the story line of a movie??



Seen the movie Viruddh? It was an emotional portrayal of a close-knit family and there was no need for any songs.



Songs should definitely be scrapped or then only b used as promo material. Gtg now, so will comment on the actual topic of the thread later.

[Xeno]

So, sex is more in the minds than in the act ..

Are you talking about your mind..haha that was funny..

[CtrlAltDel]

So, sex is more in the minds than in the act ..

Are you talking about your mind..haha that was funny..

well....sex has to be in every mind...if it isnt in yrs..u better contact Dr.Rai or go to those tents pitched on road sides...