How Bollywood Item Numbers are Making it Impossible for Women to Gain Respect in Indian Society

Shirin Bhasin has recently completed her graduation in B. Sc. (Hons.) Physics from University of Delhi in 2016. She enjoys spending time with friends and reading novels by Nicholas Sparks. As a girl living in Delhi, she strongly believes that women in India should not be withheld from their goals and dreams – professional or personal – just because of their gender. By joining Safecity, Shirin is trying to help make a difference for those girls and women out there who need the motivation to believe in themselves, before they believe in others.

How Bollywood Item Numbers are Making it Impossible for Women to Gain Respect in Indian Society

“Jumma chumma de de.
Choli ke peche kya hai?
Sexy, sexy, sexy mujhe log bole.
You are my chammak challo.
Tu cheez badi hai mast mast.
Ajaa meri gaadi mein baith jaa.
Tu hai meri fantasy.
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye.
Women are not item numbers.
They are not chikni chamelis.
They are definitely not fevicol.
They have not been on this planet for your supreme entertainment or pleasure.
A woman is not an adjective.
If you cannot respect a woman, you are nothing.”

-The Times of India

With each item number being introduced into Bollywood, it is making its way into our daily lives, and consequently into many people’s thought processes, which is not okay. Bollywood songs tend to send out the message that it is acceptable to eve tease, and that women tend to enjoy guys running after them or complimenting them on their figures, beauty, and other physical attributes. Little do they know about the mental trauma a girl goes through. The portrayal in movies, in facts get the wrong people aroused, leading to further trauma, discomfort, and physical abuse, which is clearly not correct, irrespective of the reason or the state of mind of the person who is aroused. Period. It makes them feel that at least there is this one place where they can become superior, in their otherwise suppressed, monotonous lifestyle. They feel that if an actor or even an actress can do it on screen and be applauded for it eventually, then they can do the same too.

To increase the ratings and earnings of a movie, the producers and directors tend to add an item song. I agree, there are many things out there that I may not agree with or things that others may find fine, or correct, but in my eyes, it is a problem to and for society. I am aware of the fact that some feel that one has to be practical when it comes to business and that I am reacting emotionally. But, women’s safety and the harassment they face is, in fact, a major issue of our society.

I know what you’re thinking. “Bolne wale toh bohut hote hai. Tum bhi bol rahi ho. Kya farak padta hai?” (“There are many people who talk about problems, and you are one of them. What difference does it make?”) My reaction to that is, “Mujhe farak padta hai!” (“It makes a difference to me.”) But I assure you, I am not one of those people who will just sit there and talk about it. I have thought about a few ways through which we can fix this together.

First of all, Bollywood movies should show the consequences and the after effects on the girl and how the guilty will not be spared. They should show that the victim is never at fault when it comes to rapes and assault, but the person who committed the hideous crime.

There is no wrong way or no single way of fighting sexual abuse. But at least we can try.