This document discusses the portrayal of women in mainstream and art cinema in India. It provides a brief history of Bollywood and analyzes how women have been depicted from the 1930s to present. In mainstream films, women's roles have largely been reduced to decorative objects for male pleasure or upholders of tradition. In contrast, parallel or art cinema presents more realistic and complex portrayals of women, addressing topics like sexuality, violence and social issues in a way that challenges stereotypes. The document debates whether cinema should prioritize entertainment or social change through its influence on society.
27. Comparison
Mainstream Cinema
1. Utopian/Ideal world
2. Limited Subjects
3. One point of view
4. Establish Stereotype
5. Female Sexuality is a
taboo
Parallel Cinema
1. Real world
2. A wider subject range
3. Contradic>ons & mul>ple
views
4. Challenge stereotype, show
mul>plicity of the real life
5. Female sexuality is addressed
29. Few Parallel Films
1983 Arth Mahesh Bham Extra-marital affair
and unfaithful
spouse
1995 Bandit Queen Shekhar Kapur Rape, Sexual abuse,
Caste system, Child
marriage
1998 Fire Deepa Mehta Homosexuality,
infidelity and
infer>lity
2001 Daman Kalpana Lazmi Domes>c &marital
violence
2005 Water Deepa Mehta
Widow pros>tu>on,
child marriage and
widowhood
30. Biwi No. 1 Vs. Arth
• Category
• Subject & its treatment
• Portrayal of Female lead
• Portrayal of the Male lead
• Portrayal of the ‘Other Woman’
• Stereotypes
• Symbols
• Male Gaze
• Women’s agency
Compare these two movies based on the
criteria given below: