‘Sexist’ takes a U-turn as Bollywood heroines hurl expletives

Bold one-liners, ­sexual innuendos and foul language is no ­longer male ­territory in Bollywood. In a sharp ­shattering of the sexist ­stereotype, a flood of new films now have the leading ladies giving the ­word ‘bold’ a new meaning.

Bold one-liners, ­sexual innuendos and foul language is no ­longer male ­territory in Bollywood. In a sharp ­shattering of the sexist ­stereotype, a flood of new films now have the leading ladies giving the ­word ‘bold’ a new meaning.

Gulaab-Gang

Consider Madhuri Dixit in Gulaab Gang: “Jab nichey wali leti hai toh patloon phaad ke leti hai,” and “Sanghatan shakti hai, akele mein tumhari ­phat-ti hai”, Grand Masti actor Kainaat Arora saying, “Meri doodh ki do badi-badi factories hain” and Bruna Abdullah’s tongue-in-cheek “wo toh aapka rocket dekh kar bata paungi”.

These recent examples are only additions to the already existing long list of such mouthings. Remember Huma Qureshi’s “jab kuchh nai karna toh amma ke saath hi (picture) jao” in Gangs of Wasseypur, Deepika Padukone’s honeymoon-before-marriage talk in Ram-Leela, and Madhuri’s seductive “Iftekhaa…aaaar” in Dedh Ishqiya?

“People converse and express ­themselves much more openly these days, so if a heroine’s role in a film demands an unabashed ­attitude, why not? It isn’t propagating ­vulgarity in any way,” says trade expert, Taran Adarsh.

Some say the trend has emerged as filmmakers’ way of escaping the flak for ­‘sexist’ dialogue from men, but others disagree.

“If that was the case, filmmakers would’ve been in trouble as women’s groups are far more intolerant towards women,” says adman Prahlad Kakkar. But, obscenity itself is a problem for some.

“Obscene dialogue, whether by men or women, are harmful for the society. The offensive ­language heard on-screen is also heard on the streets and in people’s daily conversations, but subtle sexual overtones in it can create tension and aggression in the society,” says social activist Ranjana Kumari.