“Are you gonna blame Bollywood for it?” asks Mallika Sherawat on the 2 girls in UP who got raped, hanged from a tree
BANGALORE: In what can be called a very candid conversation with Al
Jazeera English, Mallika Sherawat, one of Bollywood’s most controversial
ladies, discussed Bollywood’s impact on gender norms and on the
discourse towards women created by the industry in India.
"I kissed on screen and was intimate with my co-stars to show realism on screen,” said Sherawat, who was once nicknamed the Kissing Queen of Bollywood, after she shot into fame with Murder, an erotic thriller which was very controversial in its time.
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When asked about the roles she had enacted as an actress, Sherwat replied, “When I started my career, it was almost a decade ago, I did films like ‘Murder’ which was a very-very controversial film for the time 10 years ago because it depicts a women having an extra marital affair, it depicts sexuality on screen, it depicts passion. But then I always thought that living in a 21st century how else will you show passion. It got to be real, it got to be realistic and that’s why I kissed on screen, I was intimate with my co-star because I wanted to bring a certain kind of realism on screen; which I think is very important.”
Bollywood has come a long way from Murder. On-screen kissing scenes have become quite common and they have found their place in erotic thrillers, in dramas, comedies and almost all types of genres in this industry. One could say it is part of Bollywood’s new wave. But do the portrayal of women in these films have any effect on society? Do they have any impact on women and their relationships? Critics often argue that they create a gender dynamic which leaves a bad taste in mouth. But Sherawat doesn’t seem to agree.
When asked about the scantily clad women who sing and dance without any relevance to a film’s plot, much like Sherawat herself did in Abhishek Bachchan starrer Guru, she said, “Singing and dancing has always been a part of Indian culture and Indian movies, that’s where Indian cinema is based of it came from Nautanki. Singing and Dancing has always been there. I don’t even know what is this called item number; I see it as a song and dance, which is a part of Bollywood movie, part of Bollywood tradition that makes Bollywood unique in every part of the world. I would like to say and ask what’s wrong with looking attractive and glamorous on screen for your audience. After all it’s a movie business and if you are glamorous and appealing. What’s wrong with that? Why actresses should be judged because they are looking good and glamorous. Are you trying to tell me that looking glamorous and sexy is invitation to rape? They definitely do not promote inequality. And why only actresses. You talk about men. There was very popular Bollywood movie called ‘Dostana’ where they objectified male star John Abraham. And if you talk about Brad Pitt, George Clooney. Traditionally I would say yes it is being women who were objectified but now it is just people. It’s objectification of people. There could be sexy and glamorous men; there could be appealing glamorous women as well on screen.”
On her approach to her roles and her comfort level on performing them, the Kissing Queen said, “I look at it as art and I am again saying that I am doing nothing that promotes in equality of the women. On the contrary I have always portrayed very strong characters in my movies. And I have always looked to do parts which have a meaning. Be it ‘Murder’ where I have played a women who is lonely and she is having an extra marital affair and she is searching her meaning in life or be it ‘Pyar ke side effects’ or be it ‘Myth’ or be it any movie. I do nothing that promotes inequality. And as I said I mean where objectification is concerned, today it is objectification of people. But yes we all should take collective responsibility for it. We are all responsible for it. Why Bollywood everyone else is responsible for it. Are you trying to tell me those two poor girls who got raped in India and hanged on tree were objectified; were they provocatively dressed. They were just relieving themselves in the field and they got raped. Are you gonna blame Bollywood for it.”
"I kissed on screen and was intimate with my co-stars to show realism on screen,” said Sherawat, who was once nicknamed the Kissing Queen of Bollywood, after she shot into fame with Murder, an erotic thriller which was very controversial in its time.
When asked about the roles she had enacted as an actress, Sherwat replied, “When I started my career, it was almost a decade ago, I did films like ‘Murder’ which was a very-very controversial film for the time 10 years ago because it depicts a women having an extra marital affair, it depicts sexuality on screen, it depicts passion. But then I always thought that living in a 21st century how else will you show passion. It got to be real, it got to be realistic and that’s why I kissed on screen, I was intimate with my co-star because I wanted to bring a certain kind of realism on screen; which I think is very important.”
Bollywood has come a long way from Murder. On-screen kissing scenes have become quite common and they have found their place in erotic thrillers, in dramas, comedies and almost all types of genres in this industry. One could say it is part of Bollywood’s new wave. But do the portrayal of women in these films have any effect on society? Do they have any impact on women and their relationships? Critics often argue that they create a gender dynamic which leaves a bad taste in mouth. But Sherawat doesn’t seem to agree.
When asked about the scantily clad women who sing and dance without any relevance to a film’s plot, much like Sherawat herself did in Abhishek Bachchan starrer Guru, she said, “Singing and dancing has always been a part of Indian culture and Indian movies, that’s where Indian cinema is based of it came from Nautanki. Singing and Dancing has always been there. I don’t even know what is this called item number; I see it as a song and dance, which is a part of Bollywood movie, part of Bollywood tradition that makes Bollywood unique in every part of the world. I would like to say and ask what’s wrong with looking attractive and glamorous on screen for your audience. After all it’s a movie business and if you are glamorous and appealing. What’s wrong with that? Why actresses should be judged because they are looking good and glamorous. Are you trying to tell me that looking glamorous and sexy is invitation to rape? They definitely do not promote inequality. And why only actresses. You talk about men. There was very popular Bollywood movie called ‘Dostana’ where they objectified male star John Abraham. And if you talk about Brad Pitt, George Clooney. Traditionally I would say yes it is being women who were objectified but now it is just people. It’s objectification of people. There could be sexy and glamorous men; there could be appealing glamorous women as well on screen.”
On her approach to her roles and her comfort level on performing them, the Kissing Queen said, “I look at it as art and I am again saying that I am doing nothing that promotes in equality of the women. On the contrary I have always portrayed very strong characters in my movies. And I have always looked to do parts which have a meaning. Be it ‘Murder’ where I have played a women who is lonely and she is having an extra marital affair and she is searching her meaning in life or be it ‘Pyar ke side effects’ or be it ‘Myth’ or be it any movie. I do nothing that promotes inequality. And as I said I mean where objectification is concerned, today it is objectification of people. But yes we all should take collective responsibility for it. We are all responsible for it. Why Bollywood everyone else is responsible for it. Are you trying to tell me those two poor girls who got raped in India and hanged on tree were objectified; were they provocatively dressed. They were just relieving themselves in the field and they got raped. Are you gonna blame Bollywood for it.”
“Are you gonna blame Bollywood for it?” asks Mallika Sherawat on the 2 girls in UP who got raped, hanged from a tree
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Reviewed by Rehan
on
10:27 PM
Rating:
Reviewed by Rehan
on
10:27 PM
Rating:
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