This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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Last week, tinsel town and pretty much the whole world celebrated International Women's Day! Whether it was on the streets, coffee shops or cinema there was no way that one could evade the crusading brigade that wanted everyone to remember and do their bit, whether it was buying a special line of jewellery, a fancy dinner, and other such noteworthy activities. And of course offering suitable platitude like 'Women are wonderful. They are even better than men.' or, 'Women are goddesses who make the world go around', and so on was an absolute must.
Well, in keeping with the expectations of every thinking and responsible individual, yours truly decided to play along and dedicated this column to things that Bollywood movies must or must not do with their women…
The to-do list
Equal pay: Women across the showbiz workforce, if they bring to the table the skill sets and experiences the men folk do, must demand and get an equal pay cheque based solely on merit and not on gender. There have been exceptions in the past but it must become the norm.
Item songs: The jury is still out on the item numbers so have them if you must, but please do away with double entendre songs and vulgar moves that make all of us women squirm in our seats.
Slim fit: Please drop the size-zero obsession instantly and while at it, also ban the actresses from getting themselves a lipjob, botox shots and so on. We do realize that these enhancement jobs support a whole industry, but it would be rendering yeoman's service to womankind to think that they could make the perfect 10 cut despite their imperfections!
Two is trouble: Quell the myth that marriage is a no-no for actresses as it cuts down their appeal. Nothing could be further from the truth – think Sridevi, Malaika Arora Khan, Chitrangda Singh or Aishwarya Rai Bachchan or Kareena Kapoor. All of them are going strong and how!
Maternal woes: The motherhood issue remains a tricky terrain, so do make contracts spell out the requirements and expectations for a leading lady loud and clear, before they sign the dotted line.
Reinvent the wheel: Please do away with the cliches of the bubbly girl, the spitfire, the modern multi-task minion, the gushing mother, the senseless siren and so on. Films and commercials work so much better without them.
Credit points: Do give the actresses and other women technicians a big round of applause when they reach great heights. Do not always credit their success to a mentor or godfather. Maybe they just have it.
And now for the Don't's
Serious issues: Do not dismiss actresses as ditzy airheads. Most of them have a pretty smart head on their shapely shoulders. Far more than what they get credit for.
Acting chops: And do not look down upon them for being look obsessed because that's what their job description is – to look pretty and while at it, maybe act too.
Article written by staff at Bollywood Hungama. Read more
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