Filmworld
Actresses now object to being objectified: Vidya Balan
By
NiveditaNew Delhi, July 17 For years, there have been item songs galore
with double entendre lyrics and cameras capturing actresses curves. But
National Award winning actress Vidya Balan says the scenario has changed, and
actresses, at least in India, are in a position to avoid being objectified on
screen anymore.
“Time has absolutely changed,†Vidya told IANS over the phone from Mumbai when
asked about her take on the objectification of women in Bollywood.
“I have seen this change for the past five to six years when I started doing
films like 'Ishqiya' or 'No One Killed Jessica'. I personally believe that
women are not willing to be objectified on screen anymore... they feel that
they can object to being objectified. That's why there is not much of
objectification on screen of women anymore,†she added.
Time and again, Vidya has made unique choices for her silver screen
appearances.
Having made her cinematic debut in 2005 with "Parineeta", an
adaptation of a 1914 eponymous Bengali novel, Vidya has proved her versatility
-- whether it was the manipulative Krishna of "Ishqiya"; the
strong-willed Sabrina in "No One Killed Jessica"; Vidya Bagchi, a
woman with a vegeance in "Kahaani"; an unwed mother in
"Paa"; and the bolder than the boldest Silk in "The Dirty
Picture".
Her last released film was Mohit Suri's “Hamari Adhuri Kahani†in which she
played a married woman, also a victim of domestic violence.
"If I talk about domestic violence, I never understood it. I have been
brought up in an environment of freedom and independence and I cannot
understand why anyone can keep quiet when they are abused, especially a
grown-up woman. So for this role, I had to first mentally prepare myself to
accept these things.
"I had to realise that it's not just about domestic violence, but
believing that you are actually your husband's property and this attitude is
quite prevalent amongst us Indians,†said Vidya, who in real life, is a happily
married woman.
She has now featured in a music video -- slated to be released this week -- for
Nihar Naturals -- a brand she has endorsed for over five years -- aiming to
tell women to avoid letting people's judgment and acts affect them.
"You have the ability to do whatever you want to do. A woman usually gets
judged because of her appearance -- like a woman with short hair is modern and
liberal, whereas a woman with tied or long hair is old-fashioned and
conservative. Hence, this music video is about breaking stereotype," said
the 36-year-old.
Vidya also feels that that one way of getting rid of crime against women is by
becoming “economically independent.â€
“Money is power and if you see, there are a lot of times a woman faces issues
because they are not economically independent. So, economic independence gives
you freedom of choice. Also education is what makes a difference,†said the
actress, who also feels that we are not living in a “progressive society in
absolute sense".
“There are pockets that are progressive and they have education, awareness and
opportunities, but there are parallel realities. We entrust the power of our
lives to them (men). They began to abuse that power in a lot of ways and this
is the reason why even educated men feel that they have the right to do
anything with women,†Vidya said, and stressed that every woman has the right
to "lead life on her own terms" -- something the actress has been
conveying through her choices in Bollywood.