Tabu

If people are bent upon imitating others, it's nothing to be proud about. Where's the point in vying to be Hollywood-like? Why lose the potency of our cinema? Tabu

"Where's the point in vying to be Hollywood-like? In doing so we are diluting the potency of our cinema."

Tabu On male gaze There have always been a section of filmmakers who were progressive. If, today, women are being projected in a new light, much has to do with exposure to new media and varying images of womanhood. Being economically independent they are listening to their voices and their bodies. But this is phenomenon one sees in every walk of life, is it? Things have changed so dramatically in the last three years. There's been an invasion of ideas, even little girls know so much. Naturally, cinema is reflecting that. On women characters in Hollywood and Bollywood I don't think it is fair to compare the two. There are two different cultures and societies. If filmmakers are hell bent on imitating ideas from Hollywood, then it is nothing to be proud of. Where's the point in vying to be Hollywood-like? In doing so we are diluting the potency of our cinema. It would do our cinema a world of good if filmmakers and writers strove to discover more shades to a woman's character and concentrated on fleshing out interesting sketches. Most filmmakers shy away from it because a lot of thinking goes into writing a female character. It is lot easier to write a male dominated character. On apsara vs Sita To begin with I don't think it is a trend. If there are characters who behave more like an apsara than Sita it has more to do with the genre of cinema being made. And even if it is happening there is no drastic change. If earlier the characters were more in the black and white mould, it had more to do with the social and moral conditioning of the times. If, today, women are being projected in a new light, much has to do with exposure. On virginal heroine I haven't heard of many such characters where the heroine with a robust sex life and multiple partners is still seen as being desirable and acceptable as wife later. If there are few instances it has more to do with the different kinds of cinema being tried out today. On comedy as a genre helping to break stereotypes I think a good comedy in itself breaks stereotype! Next: Rahul Bose