‘What “She” Was…’: Representations of Women in Films – A Historical Perspective

Abstract

Women in India have been stereotyped for as long as History could have known. The question that arises is why are women defined in such stereotypical roles? Is it because of the Indian culture, society or religion? Despite the era of globalization and rapid transformation, why have gendered roles in India, not changed at the same pace as patterns and trends? Why has mindset not changed as rapidly as we have in the fields of technology? We do see progress, but not as rapid as compared to other elements. One very important aspect of modernity and technology in media. Media, in all its forms, is one of the influential forces of any thought; be it political, social or cultural. This paper intends to focus on how women are represented in the entertainment media and why, with a special reference to Historical/periodical dramas. Cultural ideologies affect the role of women not just in society but also shape the portrayal of women in television and films. Historical dramas have also changed with time, representing the era they are made in but do the portrayals of women change or do they remain stagnant? The paper would discuss the elements that caused such portrayals. This paper will also compare similarities and differences between how women have been represented in non-historical themed films and historically themed films.