From lesser mortal to protagonist, women have come far in cinema

Anshita Mehra

New Delhi, March 14

A thought-provoking panel discussion titled “Women in Cinema” was held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) on Thursday. The discussion provided insights into the evolution and significance of female representation in Indian cinema.

Aligned with the extended celebration of International Women’s Day, the discussion dwelled into the journey of female characters, the challenges faced by women in the industry, and strides towards gender equality.

The panellists, including film analyst and journalist Jayanti Ranganathan, Rashmi Mallick, director, Spic Macay, author Iqbal Rizvi, and Odissi dancer Reela Hota, along with moderator Anurag Punetha, engaged in a comprehensive exploration of the topic.

Jayanti Ranganathan highlighted the evolution of women’s portrayal in cinema over the decades. She emphasised the significant shift from the 1970s, where women were often depicted as sacrificing and submissive, to today’s cinema, which reflects boldness and independence among female characters, mirroring societal changes.

Ranganathan said, “During the 1970s, women had to go through a lot for just one scene in the film because scripts were not used to be written for them. These used to be focused on the angry young men and showed women as sacrificing persons who worshiped their husbands. However, since the 2000s, the scenario has slightly changed, with movies now being written by and for women, featuring strong characters.”

Author Iqbal Rizvi echoed Ranganathan’s sentiments, emphasising the significance of strong female characters in cinema. He noted, “Women have always faced restrictions, while men were portrayed as stronger, both in real life and films. Whenever a character broke out of these restrictions, it represented strength.”

Adding to the discussion, Ranganathan emphasised that strong characters are not necessarily those who wield weapons but those that are well-written, citing examples such as “Rani” in the movie “Queen”, “Shashi” in “English Vinglish”, and “Piku” in the eponymous film.

Rashmi Mallick provided a different perspective, highlighting the dominance of women in cinema, particularly in music and dance. She noted the prevalence of classical music in older films, predominantly performed by women, and actresses learning classical dance forms for their roles.

Dancer Reela Hota offered insights from her perspective, stating, “As a dancer, I do not believe that wearing fewer clothes means women have to be objectified, especially during dance performances. In movies in the past, dances showcased love, but now they often depict lust, resulting in the objectification of women.”