“Ek Baar jo humne movie dekhli, uske baad toh hum progress ki bhi nahi sunte”. Perhaps a common thought process among many fans and viewers of movies by the likes of Mastizaade, Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Kya Super Kool Hai Hum that have, in the past decade, blatantly promoted toxic masculinity and sexism.
It is deeply concerning to see that while such sexist and malignant productions collect enough to release sequels, movies by the likes of English Vinglish make an extremely scaled-down amount at the box office. Sridevi’s character is that of a woman who comes to make something of herself and liberates her identity that was once reduced to being just a simple housewife. Pyaar Ka Punchnama, on the other hand, is a recurrent story of 3 men conspiring to cheat on their partners. Yet, the two movies collected 17.25 crores, and 50 crores INR respectively.
However, all is not lost with Indian cinema. Movies like Queen and Pink have presented narratives that have sparked a fortunate departure from stories of toxic masculinity and put forth some important stances of female individualism. Additionally, Bollywood in the past decade has picked up heavier themes, namely sexual harassment, social prejudice, and so on. Article 15, Article 375 and Mulk are examples of the same. Notably, Dear Zindagi became one of the first mainstream Bollywood movies to openly speak about mental depression in Indian society.
Moreover, the 2010s also witnessed a bunch of healthy and innovative romantic comedies, which marked a shift in the way traditional Bollywood heroes and heroines have been portrayed. These include The Lunchbox, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Teri Meri Kahaani , Tanu Weds Manu, and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara. Bollywood is, and should remain an entertainment industry and not lose sight of its purpose. But the power to influence coupled with the ability to entertain is what distinguishes a movie from a documentary.
At the same time, the industry saw a spurt of trailers and movies that prided themselves on being “based on a true story”, and had inspirational plotlines. Movies by the likes of Mission Mangal, Neerja and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag were well put, and awakening accounts of events. However, in due process of bringing inspiring stories to light, Bollywood seems to have gotten carried away. A plethora of celebrities, including athletes like MS Dhoni, Mary Kom, and controversial artists such as Sanjay Dutt have had their lives accounted on screen, but there seems to be an overdose of the number of biopics that Bollywood is putting before its viewers.
Another concept that has taken over the industry is one of the remakes of old favourites. Judwaa 2, Pati Patni Aur Woh, and the upcoming Coolie No. 1 reflect the fact that though Bollywood is looking to pick lighter themes for prospective movies, it has failed to come up with original comedic ideas that can entertain while leaving behind the regressive bits of humour.
Whether it be romantic scenes among sugarcanes, capturing the lives of living legends on-screen or remaking hits from the 90s, Bollywood doesn’t seem to have rid itself of its habit to exhaust an idea that works with the masses, till they begin to look for something completely different to fixate on.
At the same time, the light-hearted plots, that can be viewed in friendly or family seatings alike, are Do Dooni Chaar, Band Baaja Baaraat, and Ladies vs Ricky Bahl. These, however, take a back seat in popularity, among the people but not the box office.
In the 2010s, Bollywood also saw an abundance of cultural and national uprisings take shape due to the content of some challenging movies. Padmaavat and PK are explicit examples of the same wherein members of the society were willing to risk oneself in the name of cultural pride, to a point where cities came to a standstill as their roads were in agitated flames. Censorship became a consequent matter of debate, during which Pahlaj Nihalani, former Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification in an instance came under scrutiny for banning the word “intercourse” from Indian cinema, and anything that shows explicit sexual contact. Yet Julie 2, an erotic film, made its way through the Censor Board to our screens, with no questions of the sort asked for a movie which ironically, was a product of Nihalani's own production house.
To put two and two together, the growth of cinema is not linear. For every Queen or English Vinglish, you have a Pati Patni Aur Woh, or Kya Super Kool Hai Hum. The question to be answered is, why do vulgar movies such as Mastizaade earn enough to return with sequels with the same, if not more obscenity.
Therefore, as Bollywood progresses into the decade of the 2020s, we must look to answer whether the onus of helping cinema grow lies with the audience or whether it has to be left to the minds of the filmmakers alone. Perfect synchronization of ideas among filmmakers and the people seems to be a distant and utopian vision, but the growth of cinema stems from the growth of society, and its will to move beyond the regressive forms of humour to put light on the questions that make one uncomfortable.
Live with the discomfort that the change in cinema brings forth. The dialogues which make you uneasy in your chair today, are what will open your eyes to the reality of the people you will live with tomorrow. For every regressive or obscene movie you pay to watch, find the more progressive one, and don’t lose hope every time the industry turns back to sexism or racism to make you laugh.
Every time a retrogressive movie makes you lose hope in the entertainment industry that India has historically prided itself on, assure yourself, Ke Picture Abhi Baaki Hai!
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