Research
Given the dynamic nature of media, we expect gender representations to evolve in consonance with legal, economic, political and other changes in society and thus demand continued research attention. In this research, we studied gender representation in Hindi films both on-screen and off-screen through quantitative research. We have also attempted to capture the experiences of women as Directors, screenwriters and film critics through qualitative research.
Following studies were undertaken.
Quantitative Studies: Gender Balance: On and Off Screen in Hindi Cinema
Gender Balance: Onscreen in Hindi Cinema: We examined representations of gender in Hindi films using the two categories of visibility and representation of women, which are the key conceptual categories in quantitative content analyses of gender in films.
Gender Off-screen gender: Women Crew Members in Film Credits and in Unions: The presence of women on Hindi film crews was examined by studying the credits in the 35 films studied. Information on women in registered Associations and Unions was gathered.
Women in Other Parts of the Film Ecosystem: In this part of the study, we collated secondary data on the presence of women in positions of relevance in the film industry such as members of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Ministers of Information and Broadcasting, Women winning the Filmfare and National Film Awards, women graduating from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune (FTII) and Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute, Kolkata (SRFTI) and women Ministers of Information and Broadcasting.
Qualitative Studies
Calling the Shots: Women Directing Hindi Cinema
Film directors are at the top of the hierarchy within the film industry and they have a fair bit of influence on the narratives and scripts as well as the working environment on the film set. Since the beginning of the 2000s, we are witnessing a steady increase in the number of women directors, however, directors disproportionately tend to be men as well as belong to privileged categories: upper caste, cisgender, and able-bodied. Representation at this level is deeply significant given the amount of influence a director has. This research study focused on the narratives of 18 women directors in the Hindi film industry.
Scripting Change: Women Screenwriters in Contemporary Hindi Cinema
This research project engaged with the role of women screenwriters in the Hindi Film industry. Screenplay and dialogue writers have often been overlooked in India, not just in terms of visibility in a film’s marketing and publicity or media interest but also by the industry where the labour of writing a script has often not been given its due. Within the contemporary period, Hindi cinema has witnessed several women screenplay writers emerge telling stories with a renewed focus on questions of gender roles in society. The study engaged with screenwriters, their craft and process of writing as well as their position within a largely male-dominated industry and the pressures they face therein regarding conformity.
Talking Back: Creative and Critical Responses of Young Online Media Critics
This study focused on the role of the audiences in influencing the discourse around the cinema. Audiences are an indispensable part of contemporary media ecologies. After decades of reception research, it is widely accepted today that audiences are not hapless prisoners of the text. They do not simply occupy the positions offered to them in the texts or engage with them as per the expectations of the media producers. Audiences make active media choices – what they want to watch or not watch – and also speak to media through thoughtful critique (articles, social media posts), creative media production (memes, satirical videos), and creative forms of activism (culture jamming, fanfiction). Through engaging with prominent young media critics who publish their creative work on online media, this research highlighted the important role they play in ‘talking back’ to the film industry and creating awareness around specific issues of gender representation.