Babes in Bollywood

This paper is an effort to explore issues related to monstrance of a woman in Hindoo Cinema with the reference of moving-picture show start India directed by Mehboob Khan. This mental picture was nominated for Academy Awards for silk hat foreign Language film in the same year. This word-painting was remodel of Aurat released in 1940 directed by Mehboob Khan. Mother India is one of the best Hindi referenceisations. It is an excellent presentation of Indian woman in solely her roles. molybdenum of movie increases exponentially, if one comp ars this movie with the socio-cultural perspective of the time of its release.It was a tip of post independence in India. People on one apply were taking up developmental issues whereas unpolished India was facing the similar problems of loan sharks, Jamindari, caste, tender status and pride. Differences of caste, favorable status, culture, gender, language, interests and several others were common. In such scenario, thinking of overall growth of a community needed to put to work everyone together ir delight inive of their differences. Socio-cultural Perspectives Covered in the Movie Movie presents social environment of village where men and women have their predefined roles and responsibilities.Most of the women in the movie will be doing whole kit and caboodle manage fetching water, grinding grains, working on fields on with their family members, cooking and other phratry works. They are expected to behave in certain manner. The famous actress Nargis Dutt portrayed what is perhaps the ultimate politically class sacrificial heroine in the 1957 release Mother India (a remake of the 1940 Aurat Woman). Persevering against bilk moneylenders, abandonment, betrayal, mon presentlys, isolation, and death, Dutts character, Radha, provides the inspiration for her tidings and her village to survive (Booth, 1995).Radha as a Bride As a young bride, Radha darts up all the responsibilities of households silently . She has shy and romantic relationship with her hubby and respecting behaviour towards her become-in-law. She does not let her mother-in-law do any household work, once the marriage ceremony is over. Radha is concerned about the family reputation and offbeat and does not want family to be under any loan so she wants to pay off loan with her jewellery. On the other hand, expectations of a preserve (Shamu) to see his wife pretty and asking her reasons of not wearing jewelleries and heavy her to wear jewelleries.Radha has expectation from her husband to get his attention. These constituents are beautifully presented in the movie. This movie presents expectations of nightspot from a young bride and expectations of a young bride for her family and husband in a beautiful manner. Radha as a Wife Indian society expect wife to be devoted for all handed-down duties and support her husband in all thick and thin. Radha in this movie has do the same. Radhas husband leaves her at young age receivable to his inability to take care of his family after the accident where he loses some(prenominal) his hands.Radha goes here and there searching for him and expects him to come back until the end of the movie. Radha sees his glance on her elder son and remembers him all the time whether it is festival or when she becomes grandmother. Radhas devotion towards her husband is presentation of expectation of Indian society from the Hindu wives. Radha as a Mother Radha as a mother is brave mother. She adores her children, feed them and bring them up. Her children give her due respect. In the movie, it is shown that Radha shots Birju her jr. son.This is something contradictory to the social norm and image of mother in society. Mother is expected to ignore all bad about her children and remember further one thing of her motherly love. Radha goes through hardships for the survival of her children. Wealthy Sukhilala the moneylender offers Radha money and food during flood and cr isis in the exchange of her beauty, Radha for a moment becomes ready to feed her dying children but as soon as she regains her conscious, she beats him up, comes back, struggles to find food, and survives.In this movie, various scenes have been presented in the way that the motherly love or the social depiction of mother is protected. As soon as Birju is shot, Radha throws the rifle and runs to hold him and Birju is surprised. This scene presents the unexpected behaviour in a manner that audience would accept and appreciate it. Radha as a Villager Radha as a member of a community holds certain responsibleness for the land and her village. During flood when people start leaving village, she requests them and urges them to stay.She thinks about wellbeing of her village. She beats up and even kills her son when she finds him doing something against honour of village. Her younger son tries to take away moneylenders daughter forcefully she refers the precondition Gaon ki beti (daughte r of the whole village) for her. This was despite of the fact that the moneylender was root of all the problems in her bearing. RaConclusion There are very slight woman centred movies are make in Bollywood. Number of movies with the theme where woman has been able to bring change in the society is very less.In most of the movies, woman has less significant roles as compared to male characters. The subject of the movie Mother India is not average bold but also it is though provoking. The movie was released in year 1957. This was a period of post independence. Women in the society had to stick very strict social norms and guidelines. The tolerance zone for behaviour of a woman outside these social norms was narrow. The character of Radha has not just followed these norms beautifully but also posed several questions about the women in the society. Radha made a choice for good by killing her son.The starting of movie indicates the progressing India with the Water Canal inauguration by Radha, who is referred as Mother India. This movie has given food of thought to people. Radha was not just a character but also an agent to bring change. She was devoted wife like Goddess Sita and fierce Mother Goddess Kali twice first when she dealt with Sukhilala and second when she killed her son. plausibly justifying Radhas character was the most challenging aspect for the filmmaker, which he has done successfully. Radha did not leave her land even in the worst condition.Not just that she was able to convince other villagers to stay for the good of all. Radha talked about benefit of land and the village. She was determined and proved her concerns of welfare of society. The most likeable factor of the movie was the representation of characters in contradictory modes. Character of Radha became more appealing and powerful with the contradictory representations. Mehboob Khan represented rural India and a rural woman in a manner that it not just offered diversion values to the audience but also gave a strong social message to the society.Reference Booth, G. D, Traditional Content and Narrative Structure in the Hindi Commercial Cinema, Journal Asian Folklore Studies, 542. (1995) Pg 169 Rosie Thomas, Sanctity and Scandal The mythologization of Mother India, Quarterly Review of Film and Video 113 (1989) 11-30 Images retrieved on 29 Oct 2007 from www. tribuneindia. com/2005/20050526/main1. htm www. oscarguy. com/Resources/Annual/30th. html www. afc. gov. au/ /archives/2006/04_oct. aspx www. afc. gov. au/images/puffs/motherindia1puff.jpg http//www. boloji. com/cinema/062a. jpg http//hcl. harvard. edu/hfa/films/2006fall/melodrama. html dha as an Individual At each constitute of her life, Radha has proven herself a strong woman. She has maintained her self-respect and courage. She did things that were socially overcompensate. She was right of selling off her jewellery and paying off as lots debt as possible to avoid the consequences of loans and intere st in the future life but as a female and youngest member of the family, she could not take decisions.She had taken up all the responsibilities with courage. Her character in every version reveals the purity which society expects from a woman. GANDHY and THOMAS comment on Radha , It is key to recognize that, throughout the film, Radhas power or strength is integrally bound up with her respect for traditional values . . . it is as a paragon of wifely devotion and sexual morality . . . that she is accorded respect and authority (1991, 118 as cited by Booth 1995).