Ratna Pathak Shah has criticised Bollywood films for their 'offensive' portrayal of women
Ratna Pathak Shah has criticised Hindi films of the past for painting characters with broad brushes, often stereotyping them. The actress said that even the better filmmakers – namely Guru Dutt and Bimal Roy – were guilty of depicting women in an ‘offensive’ manner.
The actress, in an interview with Hauterrfly, said that Bollywood films of old were guilty of being very black and white in their tone. “Good people could only be good, bad people could only be bad, everything was done in broad strokes,” she said.
Giving an example of the Anpadh song Aapki Nazron Ne, Shah added, “Even in some of the more beautiful films, made by some of the more sensitive guys. Guru Dutt’s films, or Bimal Roy’s films, the women are constantly diving for the men’s feet. ‘Aapki nazron ne samjha pyaar ke kaabil mujhe (You considered me capable of loving),’ that was the mood. I never understood it. I find it offensive now, and I think for a while, I also bought into it.”
Guru Dutt and Bimal Roy are widely considered to be among the finest filmmakers in Bollywood history. Guru Dutt’s Pyaasa has been listed in several international Top 100 film lists, while his Kaagaz Ke Phool and CID are also acclaimed. Similarly, Bimal Roy’s Do Bigha Zamin has also been called one of the best Indian films ever. He has also directed several other classics like Devdas, Bandini, and Yahudi.
Ratna Pathak Shah also criticised how the portrayal of women was very extreme, oscillating from the pious wife to the vamp. “It went straight from the ‘devi’ to the tart, and neither is nice. I think we are as complex as men, and it’s a pity that our storytelling never wanted to explore the more interesting areas of human beings and human interaction,” she added.
Ratna Pathak Shah was last seen on the big screen in last year’s Dhak Dhak, in which she played a senior citizen who bikes to Ladakh with a group of fellow female bikers. The actress also appeared in three web series in 2023 – Trial By Fire, Happy Family: Conditions Apply, and Charlie Chopra.
The DNA app is now available for download on the Google Play Store. Please download the app and share your feedback with us.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Ratna Pathak Shah (Image: IMDb)")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}