Serious Issue Sunday #3 - Why do movies portray women as objects?

Why has it suddenly become okay for the media to potray women as sex objects? Why do item numbers always involve women dancing to slow, seductive songs, dressed in little or no clothing?

Movies are a big part of our lives. They affect us.

See that boy's haircut? He's copying Aamir Khan from Dil Chahta Hai. You should hear this girl in my class. Her accent sounds just like Katrina Kaif.

We can't deny it. Whether they're good, or bad, or enjoyable, or boring, we are always influenced by all social media - specially movies (I'm not even going to defend myself - most of my knowledge has come from reading Archie comics since a very tender age).

So it's alarming when our source of influence is so disgustingly gender-biased. (My sister had used a very long word for it, but I can't remember it now, even after I googled long word meaning gender-biased). Why can't we ever see a movie in which the females don't spend all their lives dancing in clubs wearing skimpy clothes? (Not that it's not okay to wear skimpy clothes, but that's not all women do. They might have their fair share of skimpy-clothes-club-dancing, but they do other stuff as well). Or one where they have successful, normal jobs? And a stable and secure future? Without the help of some loverboy?

Okay, I love watching movies. (Mainly for the nachos). But watching movies nowadays just makes me shake my head.

I went to see a movie today, in which one of the characters slapped his wife when she forgot to bring ice for his drink.

Let's stop for a moment.

Okay, this stuff actually happens. Not in my house, not in your house. Maybe in someone else's house, but it definitely does happen. This stuff needs to be shown in movies, because why hide the bitter truth? This scene would've been tolerable if they had shown later that something was being done against this. Maybe the wife stands up to him, maybe the police arrests that man for domestic violence. No such luck. So why show it? Is the world not a hard enough place for women as it is? Do you really need to plant more ideas into people's heads? Like seriously, half the population is not educated in this country. They're not going to think wow, what an insightful scene. Um, no. They're going to go home and slap/kick/beat their wife/mother/daughter/sister, because, uh, hello, if some big shot hero in some movie is doing it, why can't they?

 If you show this stuff in movies, (with no action being done against it) it's only going to make matters worse. Controversial subjects like this are taken way too lightly. According to Bollywood, you should basically blame everything on the woman:

Do you have a horrible, meaningless life? It's probably not because you're a useless human being who does no productive work. Don't be silly. You're a man. It's probably because you have a wife who nags you a lot. Or a daughter who's too outspoken. Or maybe a mother who's too modern for your taste. But heavens no, it can't be your fault! You're the man! The man is never at fault, remember?

So let's say now, that the life of some man in some movie is falling apart. What will he do next?
 -Go to a pub and drink. Cue item song.

Maybe the man is happy about something. What will he do next?
-Go to a pub and drink. Cue item song.

Maybe he's just having a usual day, like any other. What will he do next?
-Go to a pub and drink. Cue item song.

Like, wow. We live in the twenty first century and such songs are still made. Like I'm sorry, I'm still very young, I haven't seen the world, haven't had that many experiences, but correct me if I'm wrong, I do not see the need for a song with a woman balancing a glass of wine on her chest in a movie when it has approximately zero connection with the story. I mean okay, who am I to say anything, I'm just some kid typing away things that come into my head. These people have been making movies their whole lives, they know what they're doing. This is what the public wants. Item songs. These make the movies roll in money. Fine. Make item songs. But at least don't sacrifice the moral integrity of women. Why is sexy being equated with cheapness? Tell these people to go him and watch B-grade movies on their laptops. The big screen is not a place for songs with  lyrics like Touch me oh touch me. Trust me, I know music. I play the piano and I sing. This is not music. This is called a waste of time.

Maybe there would be less rape cases if songs like Mein balatkari hun (I'm a rapist) were banned.

Dear movies. Please stop showing such stuff on the big screen. You're not helping. Only giving people ideas.