Skip to main content

TREATMENT OF FOREIGN WOMEN IN BOLLYWOOD





Recently we had a classroom activity- Group reading and discussion.My group had four girls Monali, Tejasvi, Brijal and myself. The topic of my group was “Post colonialism and Culture Studies”. It was an amazing and wonderful experience working in a group. Thanks to our teacher Dr.Dilip Barad for this new learning method. We discussed many things in class like the influence of Hollywood films on Indian and other culture, How the Third world represents the First world and so on. We have lots of example of films directed by foreign directors and in which India is shown in a bad way.

Are they alone showing us in a bad way or are we doing the same thing??????????

Here I would like to talk about the treatment given to foreign women.

If we look at the movies from postcolonial perspective, we see that Hollywood movies portray Indian culture or Indians in a bad or say in a dark way. We question that why Indians are looked down by the Third world nations.

But we should also think the other way that how the foreigners are portrayed in the Bollywood films. Especially I would like to highlight the treatment given to the foreigner girl. Bollywood play a part, however small, in the recurring misbehaviour against foreign women in India.

In 1970, Saira Banu in ‘Purab Aur Paschim’ played a British blonde named Preeti who favoured mini-dresses, smoking and drinking. Preeti has no idea of "Indian values" until she meets Bharat (Manoj Kumar), an Indian in London for higher studies. Bharat, of course, wants to transform her "Western ways" so she fits the popular conception of a good bride, and brings her to India. Eventually she adopts the Indian lifestyle, becomes a good Indian girl, not just a zone of sexual pleasure.
She is accepted only because she adopts the Indian life style. Women and specially women from outside other countries are judged by their clothing and living habits.

There were various white actresses in Indian movies of the 50s and 60s that portrayed scantily-dressed with a cigarette in their hand and consuming alcohol. Who can forget Helen, the cabaret queen of Anglo-Indian/Burmese descent, who enhanced innumerable films from the 50's onwards? Her role, as such, was to be in the background, a source for the male gaze.

If we talk about contemporary time, it has only gotten worse. The foreign women are many times shown as they are things to be used and thrown away. The male protagonist may indulge in a romantic leisure with the white girl but inevitably ends up falling in love with the Indian girl. Then what about the foreign women? They are portrayed as if they don’t have any kind of feelings or it is ok if they waste time with the hero.  For example: - Florence Brudenell Bruce, who plays ‘Jo’ in Love Aaj Kal, and is only worthy of a time pass with Saif Ali Khan before he happily gets back with the lovely Deepika Padukone.


This, however, is as good as it gets for white actresses in India. Most foreign women who work in the Indian movie industry are demoted to the portrayal as dancers dressed in spare, clothes, either the vamp or the applicant for a one-night-stand when the actor is rejected, drunk or upset. The Indian girl never has a one-night-stand, rarely smokes or drinks or wears tasteless clothes. If they do, they are not to be respected but looked down.

Many times foreign women are shown in TV shows or movies to gain TRP or profit. For example: - Every season of Bigg Boss brings in a woman from different countries. The role what the foreign heroines gets in movies can also be questioned.

So when Indians are portrayed in a bad way or dark way, we feel insulted. The question is do we treat them in a better way.

 WHY THIS HYPOTHETIC WAY OF THINKING?????

Suggestions and questions are welcomed. Please share your views in the comment section.
Hope you enjoy reading...

THANK YOU...



Comments

  1. Dilip Barad2 March 2016 at 19:30

    Good one. Very well argued.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dilip Barad2 March 2016 at 19:32

    Good one. Very well argued.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vaidehi Hariyani2 March 2016 at 20:44

      Thank You Sir.

      Delete
    2. Riddhi Jani28 November 2016 at 19:52

      Very well observed... You can take example of many such other women/actors.Like even Katrina Kaif also. She had to accept the Indian norms of living and acting then and then she was accepted by Indian audience. Many such other names like Lisa Haydon,Barbara...etc.
      Very well written.
      Keep it up.
      Regards.

      Delete
    3. Riddhi Jani28 November 2016 at 19:53

      Very well observed... You can take example of many such other women/actors.Like even Katrina Kaif also. She had to accept the Indian norms of living and acting then and then she was accepted by Indian audience. Many such other names like Lisa Haydon,Barbara...etc.
      Very well written.
      Keep it up.
      Regards.

      Delete
    4. Vaidehi Hariyani29 November 2016 at 08:00

      Thank you so much. I will sure add the examples suggested by you

      Delete
  3. Nupur Vyas3 March 2016 at 08:07

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nupur Vyas3 March 2016 at 08:08

    well done vaidehi

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"RIP"; Rest in Peace those who are Alive....

Hello Friends, After a long time I am writing here. Hope you all are fine. This time I have come up with a different interpretation of the phrase “RIP”. Mostly this phrase “RIP”; Rest in Peace is used for the people who are no more. We use this phrase to give sympathy towards the departed soul. The soul may get peace wherever it travels. No one exactly knows where the soul travels. Sometimes this phrase is used out of care and sometimes just for show off on social media. While sitting alone near a cemetery, a thought struck in my mind. Why do we use RIP only for dead people????? We can also use it for those who are alive. Many time people use RIP when a person is dead. The same people might have harassed the dead person when he is alive. So what’s the point of “RIP”? Suppose in the day time you behave very badly with someone. Is he/she going to get sound and peaceful sleep at night? The dead person will never come back so we just say “RIP”. Of course ever
Post a Comment
Read more

“My friend, the things that do attain” - Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey.

Hello friends, I would like to share a poem which I studied during my graduation. The title of the poem is “My friend, the things that do attain”. It is written by Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1516/1517 – 19 January 1547), was an English aristocrat, and one of the founders of English Renaissance poetry. MY friend, the things that do attain The happy life be these, I find: The riches left, not got with pain; The fruitful ground; the quiet mind; The equal friend; no grudge; no strife; No charge of rule, nor governance; Without disease, the healthy life; The household of continuance; The mean diet, no dainty fare; Wisdom joined with simpleness; The night discharged of all care, Where wine the wit may not oppress: The faithful wife, without debate; Such sleeps as may beguile the night; Content thyself with thine estate, Neither wish death, nor fear his might. In the above mentioned poem, there is a list
3 comments
Read more

" The Winged Word"- David Green

In my Graduation syllabus, I had a book named “ The Winged word”. This anthology is edited by David Green. It is anthology of poems compiled for the students of English literature in the B.A courses of Indian Universities. The chronological order, in which the poets are arranged in this book, helps the students to note the development of English poetry from one age to another. Referring to this book after a long time span, gives me a immense joy. There are many poems in this book. We were given some selected poems to study during three years of graduation. The poems which were in my syllabus are as follow:-    1.)   I Find No Peace – Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-42)    2.) My Friend, the Things That Do Attain –Henry Howard (1517- 47)    3.) The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd –Sir Walter Ralegh (1552-1618)    4.) The Nightingale – Sir Philip Sidney (1554- 86)    5.) Since There’s No Help – Michael Drayton (1563- 1613)    6.) Sonnet No.116 – Willi
5 comments
Read more