Portrayal of Sexual Aggression in Hindi Cinema

Umang Gupta*, Madhu Kumari¹

*Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Banasthali Vidyapith, Niwai Rajasthan.

¹Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Banasthali Vidyapith,  Niwai Rajasthan.

Abstract:

An exploratory content research had been conducted to inspect the portrayal of violence and crimes against women in popular Hindi cinema. Few films were picked randomly from the box office hits also few true incidents were examined. The initial findings recommend that moderate sexual violence is portrayed as fun, pleasure and a normal expression of romantic love. Sexual violence stanched by antagonist was a common portrayal, predominantly judicious violence such as aggravation of women with whom the antagonist ultimately became romantically involved. Stern sexual aggression was portrayed as crime while judicious sexual aggression was treated as fun and romantic. The core of the article is to investigate the film to gaze how sexual aggression is being portrayed through the lens. This will substantiate how audience takes this aggression in their actual being. It argues that the effect of the films and media is eventually negative, for they glorify sexual aggression and crime against women while holding out the hope of a better future. The adjacent study is an aim to identify films and scan the disparity in portraying violence and aggression against women. The contemporary trend is an attempt of filmmakers to create a kind of myth in audience by making violence fun and romantic. In this paper an effort has been made to find out how crime against women whether sexual aggression, domestic violence or sexual harassment are portrayed in cinema and revive them and contrive hope for the victims. The data collected for the research work is secondary. This study is exploratory and the method used for research is qualitative. This paper will throw light on how filmmakers and media make an effort to create a safe and secure environment for women who suffer from violence and crime and create empathy among audience while entertaining them through their lens.

KEYWORDS: Content Research, Eve-Teasing, Hindi Cinema, India, Sexual Aggression.