Rahul Bose

Is India ready to handle a non-virgin heroine? Absolutely not. We are an immensely traditional and conservative country.Rahul Bose

"Mainstream cinema anywhere in the world caters to the lowest common denominator, that of a sexist."

Rahul Bose On woman moving from being 'desired' to 'desiring' herself There have been changes in the way we look at women but it is merely cosmetic. And that too in the very niche urban market. Some bit of assertiveness is seen here but it's a trickle rather than a torrent. But it is with the television and Saas-Bahu serials and Hindutva wave we have regressed significantly. These serials advocate woman to give in to meek and submissive role in a marriage. On Hollywood women's greater sexual freedom vis-a-vis Bollywood's women No, certainly not. Mainstream cinema anywhere in the world caters to the lowest common denominator, that of a sexist. So whether it is MTV, Italian cinema, Hollywood or Bollywood, it is all the same. Where is the parity? Do Hollywood actresses get paid as much as their male co-stars? On comedy allowing women greater creative freedom No. Gender stereotypes exist everywhere, even in comedies. On cinema perpetrating crime against women I don't think so. I firmly believe that art as either activism or negativism doesn't work. Cinema can never do great amount of good or evil. Gender stereotypes exist everywhere, even in comedies. On virginal heroine Is India ready to handle a non-virgin heroine? Absolutely not. We are an immensely traditional and conservative country. Take the top three actresses ruling the roost at the box office - Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukherjee and Preity Zinta - one will steer clear of controversial subjects, other is seen as a homemaker and third is a bubbly and cute girl next door. A lone Bipasha Basu doing a Jism is not enough. Moreover, getting out of the urban upper middle class mindset try seeing things from a astute Indian middle class mindset - Bipasha's character is seen as a vamp. She is a bad woman who kills her husband to be with her 'hunk' lover. So where's the shift? Next: Javed Akhtar