Don't fragment women's body with camera angles: Shabana Azmi
Mumbai
March 6, 2017
Veteran actress and activist Shabana Azmi says filmmakers
should be more responsible in depiction of women's body on screen, because the
business of cinema is of images.
The actress, who was present here on
Monday on a panel discussion at "Ficci Frames 2018", was asked about her opinion
on actresses who practise their right of "my body, my choice", especially in
item numbers in Bollywood films.
Azmi said: "When a leading lady says
that 'it's alright, I want to celebrate my sensuality in those songs', I have no
problem with that. But under the pretence of 'celebrating your sensuality' what
you are actually doing is surrendering to the male gaze and objectifying
yourselves because the business of cinema is of images."
"When you see
the fragmented bits of a woman's body, you see heaving bosom, swinging navel,
shaking hips... you are robbing the woman of all autonomy, completely," she
explained.
Citing an example, the actress said: "In Zoya's film 'Zindagi
Na Milegi Dobara', a scene shows leading lady Katrina Kaif coming out of the
water wearing a bikini and wear her bathrobe. The camera does not go close to
her, does not show her bosom. But on that very shot, if the director had decided
to go over the top, it would have been objectification. So the intention needs
to be clear."
The actress was present alongside CBFC member Vani Tripathi
Tikoo, filmmaker Divya Khosla, well-known journalist and author Tavleen Singh
and BTVI COO Meha Tata, among others.
Mumbai
March 6, 2017
Veteran actress and activist Shabana Azmi says filmmakers
should be more responsible in depiction of women's body on screen, because the
business of cinema is of images.
The actress, who was present here on
Monday on a panel discussion at "Ficci Frames 2018", was asked about her opinion
on actresses who practise their right of "my body, my choice", especially in
item numbers in Bollywood films.
Azmi said: "When a leading lady says
that 'it's alright, I want to celebrate my sensuality in those songs', I have no
problem with that. But under the pretence of 'celebrating your sensuality' what
you are actually doing is surrendering to the male gaze and objectifying
yourselves because the business of cinema is of images."
"When you see
the fragmented bits of a woman's body, you see heaving bosom, swinging navel,
shaking hips... you are robbing the woman of all autonomy, completely," she
explained.
Citing an example, the actress said: "In Zoya's film 'Zindagi
Na Milegi Dobara', a scene shows leading lady Katrina Kaif coming out of the
water wearing a bikini and wear her bathrobe. The camera does not go close to
her, does not show her bosom. But on that very shot, if the director had decided
to go over the top, it would have been objectification. So the intention needs
to be clear."
The actress was present alongside CBFC member Vani Tripathi
Tikoo, filmmaker Divya Khosla, well-known journalist and author Tavleen Singh
and BTVI COO Meha Tata, among others.
Tags: Shabana Azmi