It is the weekend, and I am on Bollywood again.
It is heartbreaking how our Bollywood movies are full of regressive and patriarchal mindsets. Watching Bollywood movies from a feminist mindset could be very troublesome because you can’t believe how millions of us tend to fall in love with the regressive thought process prevalent in these Bollywood movies. Here are some of the popular Bollywood romantic movies, where the makers made the leading lady be with the man who never deserved her in the first place. While many of us may have fallen in love with these movies and their characters, here is take on how our leading ladies ended up being with the wrong guy.
1 Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)- Starring Aishwariya Rai, Salman Khan, and Ajay Devgan.
This romantic drama directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali was a super blockbuster of its time. Now if you give a second thought, the perfect ending would have been that Nandini (Aishwariya Rai) staying on her own. It is fine if she was not in love with Sameer (Salman Khan) anymore. But, how could decide to be with Vanraj (Ajay Devgan) with whom she was forcibly married. Isn’t it what patriarchal mindset has been teaching to women for ages-to fall in love with your husband, even if you were forced to be in relationship by your parent.
2 Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)- Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukherjee and Salman Khan.
This love triangle, directed by Karan Johar touched many hearts, but did you notice that Anjali (Kajol) who was in love with her best friend Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan), never realized that her best friend was neither a good lover nor a good friend. He never understood her feelings. Even though a new girl Tina (Rani Mukherjee)on the campus understood Anjali’s feeling, but Rahul still remained blinded to them. But suddenly, one fine day when hee sees Anjali in an Indian outfit, he is in love with her. Even though Rahul never understood her feelings, Anjali chose Rahul over Prem (Salman Khan). Why lady why?
3 Cocktail (2012)- Starring Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Diana Penty.
A movie directed by Homi Adajania. In the movie, we saw two girls who were poles apart. One was Meera (Diana Penty) who never had alcohol, was religious, and never had a fling, she was perfect Indian girl. On the other hand, Veronica (Deepika Padukone), who partied, slept with the boys, had alcohol, and was living away from her parents. While Gautam Saif Ali Khan was with Veronica, he started getting attracted to Meera. And, then to be together, Gautam ditched Veronica and Meera betrayed her best friend Veronica. Ideally, Gautam should have been dumped by both the girls as he never deserved any of the two.
4 Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani (2013)- Starring Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone.
A movie directed by Ayaan Mukherjee. Bunny ( Ranbir Kapoor) left all his friends including Naina (Deepika Padukone), just to follow his dreams. He never thought of Naina and about her love. When he came back to India to attend common friend’s marriage, he met Naina, and somehow Naina fell in love with again and two of them united on New Year’s Eve. It is baffling, why Naina chose to be with man, who was selfish and self-centered? How, Naina, in a conversation of few hours, decided that Bunny has changed for a good? In real life, do people change? Do selfish people change their nature and become kind-hearted in a matter of few hours? At least, I have not seen happening in real life, have you?
5 Happy New Year (2014)- Starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.
A movie directed by Farah Khan. Throughout the movie, you see Charlie ( Shah Rukh Khan) insulting Mohini (Deepika Padukone) calling her cheap. Though she helped the group in winning the dance completion. Charlie never acknowledged that. Mohini was fluttered with Charlie’s English and adored him. How could we multi-talented woman, like Mohini, attracted to a man like Charlie, who never saw her worth. What a patriarchal mindset of makers, and surprisingly this movie was directed by a woman.
6 Tamasha (2014)- Starring Ranbir Kapoor and Deeoika Padukone.
A movie directed by Imtiaz Ali. While Ved (Ranbir Kapoor) was a confused guy, the leading lady Tara (Deepika Padukone) was an ambitious girl. When Dev and Tara parted their way at the restaurant, she was completely shattered. But, still, when she met Ved in Tokyo, she forgot everything and got along with Ved. Ideally, an independent woman like her should have told Ved that she is not interested in him anymore.
7 Salaam Namaste (2005)- Starring Saif Ali Khan and Preity Zinta.
A movie directed by Siddharth Anand. The movie that introduced the concept of live-in –relationship before it was a trend. In this movie, we see Ambar (Preity Zinta) falling in love with Nick (Saif Ali Khan) and they stay together as live-in-partners. When she gets pregnant with his child, and he wants her to abort the child, to which she refuses and goes ahead with child’s birth. Though Nick realizes his mistake towards the end of the movie and got married to Ambar. But, why Ambar chose to marry a man, who wasn’t mature enough to handle the unexpected turn in their relationship. Why didn’t Ambar choose to raise the child all alone rather than raising child with an responsible father?
Many of us are tired of Bollywood giving us women characters half good as women in real life. While we are surrounded by far many heroic women in our real life, we hope Bollywood will get their act together and come out of patriarchal mindset, and start giving us more realistic and stronger women characters. The women characters- who choose themselves and their dignity over the men, who don’t deserve them.
Waiting for your feedback on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
31st May 2024.