Talk about objectification, sexualised roles, shorter shelf life, crappy stereotypes, and pay disparity- you could not think of a better place than Bollywood! Forget movies: there have been times when female actresses had to go through a lot of judgments and sexist remarks in the industry.
Sadly, we compiled a list of times when women in Bollywood opened up about casual sexism they faced- and, honestly, we should all be offended.
via GIPHY
1. Ananya Panday
Ananya Panday in her recent interview shared how during the beginning of her career she received sexist comments from people.
As soon as I started working, people started saying things like ‘you should fix this and fix that, like get a boob job or change something about your face. And, it is said very casually and not in direct words that you sometimes even don’t pick it up. They would say, ‘just fill up a little more. Put on some weight. Is that what people really care about? Is that what I am reduced to? Is there nothing about me paramount to my waist size or chest size? The worst thing you can do to someone is judging them for their body.
2. Janhvi Kapoor
Janhvi Kapoor spoke about the problems she faced in Bollywood being a woman and raised a lot of important points.
A lot of times in meetings and in narrations, when we have a male co-actor present, the director or the writer while narrating the scene make more eye-contact with the guy than with you. And in my head I am like yeah maybe it’s because he has a longer role or maybe the scene is like that. But then I realized that maybe it’s just some sort of subliminal conditioning that is making them do that. The kind of comments I get for going to the gym in a certain outfit. You can’t question someone’s character based on what they are wearing, you can’t call names, pass judgments. As a woman, if you are not meeting a certain standard then everyone has the right to say something.
3. Deepika Padukone
From marriage to work, people have raised many sexist comments. Deepika was once asked if she took her husband Ranveer Singh's "permission" to shoot the intimate scenes in Gehraiyaan. Here's how she reacted:
It's stupid that we're even reacting to it. I think, for us, that's the most important thing. I don't read comments. I'm pretty certain even he doesn't. And, I think. Yuck! It just feels so stupid.
4. Neena Gupta
Neena Gupta is known for her spot on and candid replies. She also once mentioned she would love to work opposite Hrithik and SRK. Recently, when Neena was trolled for her clothes she had a befitting reply for them:
Mujhe ye isliye post karna hai kyunki mujhe lagta hai ki jo logg aise sexy type pehente hain, jaise maine abhi pehenein hain, vo aise hi hote hain, bekaar ke. (I want to post this because there are people who think that those who wear sexy clothes like what I am wearing right now are useless. Toh kapde dekh ke kisi ko judge nahi karna chaiye. Troll karne walo samajh lo ( It is not right to judge someone based on their clothes. Trollers, please take note of this.
5. Taapsee Pannu
Taapsee Pannu revealed how she was asked to slash her charges because the hero’s previous film didn’t work. She also spoke about how coped with casual sexism and misogyny in Bollywood.
I faced some really weird things in the beginning like she isn’t pretty enough. I’ve been replaced because the hero’s wife didn’t want me to be part of the film. I was dubbing for one of my films and I was told that the hero didn’t like my dialogue so I should change it. When I refused to change it, they got a dubbing artiste to do it behind my back. There was a time when I was told the hero’s previous film didn’t work, so you slash your price because we need to control the budget. There was some hero who wanted my introduction scene changed because he felt it would overpower his introduction scene. These are the things that have happened in front of me, I don’t know what’s happened behind my back.
6. Vidya Balan
Vidya shed light on how most of the time, people casually make sexist remarks, unaware of how problematic they are.
I think we face sexism all the time, and not just through men, even from women. Sometimes, we do that to other women too. I think misogyny is so intrinsic to the patriarchal mindset, in which we are all steeped, that it is difficult to get rid of it easily. I face it even today, sometimes. It annoys me, but of course, it is much less now than before. All around me, I see people facing sexism. Not everyone is even aware that they are saying something wrong, most of the time. I remember people telling me over a dinner that Oh my god, you don’t know how to cook. I said, ‘No both Sidharth and I don’t know how to cook.
7. Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra schooled a media outlet for referring to her as ‘the wife of’ Nick Jonas.
Very interesting that I’m promoting one of the most iconic film franchises of all time, and I’m still referenced as “the wife of…. Please explain how this still happens to women? Should I add my IDMB link to my bio?
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