PageReview 22 Mail Today, Sunday, June 21, 2009 Mail Today, Sunday, June 21, 2009 Page 27

As Shiney Ahuja confronts his maid’s charge that he had raped her in his bedroom, the spotlight is on well-educated men from regular families accused of the crime THE AN ASSAULT STEREOTYPE

By Vinayak Chakravorty

HINK ‘rape’ on the Bollywood screen, and you are thinking of the leering grin of Ranjeet or Prem Chopra, as a petrified victim cowers in a corner. BY THE MAN The victim is mostly the hero’s sister (hardly ever the heroine, who has to belongT only to the hero), which gives the hero an excuse to unleash revenge in the end. The Hindi film script writer may have rid his imagination of that stereotyped image a while ago, but the subject of rape as depicted in our popular cinema will somehow forever con- tinue to form that picture of misplaced titilla- tion in the minds of the male front benchers of the single screen era, with teasing close-up NEXT DOOR shots and lewd dialogues. Somehow, filmmak- By Neha Tara Mehta ers have figured out a way to titillate with rape scenes without offending the censors. and Max Martin For most parts, rape has been wrongly used A rapist is not always to give the villain a Bad Boy swagger in a coun- try where open talk on sex is still taboo. This IX MONTHS before Bollywood has been true for most of the ’70s and ’80s, actor Shiney Ahuja hit the head- when the surge of violent cinema facilitated lines for the alleged rape of his accommodating rape scenes in films much like maid, a 17-year-old maid was an uncouth lout but what item numbers are today. raped by her 45-year-old master A representative depiction of rape in the ’70s in an affluent pocket of New was seen in Manoj Kumar’s Roti Kapada Aur SDelhi. Her master had such an aura of Makaan (1974). As was the norm then, graphic respectability about him that no one quite often a polished depiction was avoided, but the camera con- believed her when she complained about stantly cut to a picture frame of Draupadi being stripped in a symbolic manner. Most of the the rape. The matter was hushed up and scene had Moushami Chatterjee rolling in never reached the press. An NGO heard wheat flour. Manoj Kumar used sharp cuts and Damini (above) showed the about the case and counselled the girl, charmer who knows a loud sound effect to pummel the shock fac- rape of a maid by rich but she was so devastated that she went tor. Several later-day films have used symbol- young men; It was an back to her village in UP, her dreams of ism while depicting rape, an example being accessory to the Ram Teri earning a living in the big, bad Rajkumar Santoshi’s Damini (1993), where a Ganga Maili skin show(top) world of Delhi abandoned. how to lure the victim bunch of rich boys rape a maid on Holi day. The While the Shiney Ahuja trial is boys have Holi colours smeared on yet to begin, his high-profile ca- “We have in the 15 years that have no fear of the law. “They feel they rapes were meticulously planned. ant to a rapist, points out -ba- closely known to the victims — act by men deprived of female com- their face, almost to symbolise that rape sequence in the film is widely re- se brings the spotlight on the noticed an he has worked are smarter than the law. Their confi- More shocking is his finding that most sed sexologist Mahinder C. Watsa. “It’s committing the crime, such a culture panionship during prolonged cam- the predators are unidentifiable. garded as Bollywood’s first explicit seq- affluent, well-educated men increase in the with rape-accus- dence increases every time they suc- of the accused were well-versed with easy to seek vulnerable prey, like chil- of silence provides a conducive paigns, but actually a tactic in conflict. Most on-screen rapists in the glory uence. To drive home his point, Chopra from ‘respectable families’ ed, he has not ceed in evading arrest,” adds Mitra. the act of rape as they had been caug- dren and maids, at home,” he environment for rape.” “Sexual intimidation is part of viole- days of Bollywood rape stuck to using even put a half-naked, assaulted Zeenat who have been charged of number of reported come across a ht after their fourth rape. “Rapists adds. Watsa has been dealing A lax criminal justice sys- nt assertion of power,” says Dr Sekar the brutal act to depict power. In Aman on his posters. The film was a huge rape. This image of a rapist single rapist think it is okay to infringe on bound- with cases of rape within rapes by men “A culture tem doesn’t help mat- Kasi. “It is a way to humiliate and Barsaat Ki Ek Raat (1981), Amjad Khan, hit, but the thinking audience was (alleged or proven guilty), considered suave.” who fits the Bol- The mind of a rapist aries without consent. The super-ego, middle and upper-middle ters, points out Vidya oppress a community,” he adds. ‘Vio- as the son of a rich smuggler, rapes a shocked at the crude depiction of the who is suave, well-spoken and lywood descript- that makes people live like humans class families for the last of silence, Reddy of Tulir — Cen- lence against women in situations of girl’s helplessness. On his part, Raj Bab- every bit a groomed individual, — Rajat Mitra, There is no single unifying theory that blind housewife (played by Rakhi), ion of the offend- and not as animals, collapses,” says 40 years — which never especially in the ter For The Prevent- armed conflict is largely based on tra- bar acquired an is just not what our mind readily psychologist, er. “We’ve noticed can completely explain the act of rape. Harish Shetty, a Mumbai-based psy- get reported. “It’s only ion And Healing Of ditional views of women as property, because he wants to accepts — haven’t we known, Delhi an increase in the It has biological, sociological, crimino- chiatrist whose clients include the now that these issues case of apparently Child Sex Abuse, and often, as sexual objects,” notes an get even with an hon- overnight star status. courtesy Bollywood, that a rapist is number of reported logical and psychological explana- megapolis’ glitterati. are getting highlighted decent men, favours Chennai. “I think it Amnesty International report. est forest officer (Ami- B.R. Chopra’s By late ’80s, filmmak- most likely to be an illiterate drunk, a rapes by men considered tions, though, all rather incomplete. Sexual offenders typically have a in the media. I get at an atmosphere comes down to During the 2002 communal attacks tabh Bachchan) who ers were using ‘rea- roadside Romeo? suave and cultured. The uncouth Bol- Feminist theorists view rape as a much higher ability to charm their least five to 10 queries for rape.” ideas about mas- in Gujarat, there were widespread has been harassing Insaaf Ka lism’ as a convenient Well, as it turns out, it is after all, lywood rapist is farthest from the ‘pseudo-sexual’ male act to dominate potential victims and develop an every month from culinity based on reports of rape and assault on women him. excuse to insert rape another of the many myths perpetu- truth. The portrayal is fallacious, com- women. On the other hand, sociologi- access to bond with them. They have young girls who were ra- —Dr Sekar Kasi, gender hierarchy and from minority communities. Even the By the ’80s, Bollywo- Taraazu (1980) scenes. One example is ated by the pop culture imagery. Con- pletely misleading, and has made it sts view rape as an extension of an es- the ability to project themselves as ped by their male relatives NIMHANS, the sexual entitlement Indian Army has not been spared of od had a new star rap- Zakhmi Aurat (1988), an sider another recent case, which, not difficult for a generation of cops, crim- sentially male attitude that favours ac- ‘nice’ and ‘decent’, and carry an aura in childhood, and are wor- Bangalore of men. It’s rooted in an rape allegations in the conflict zones ist: Raza Murad. In Raj had the first otherwise-B-flick that without a surprise, never made it to inal justice system, and society to quisitions — bordering on predation. of respect, making it difficult for the ried about being exposed ideal of manhood. The of Kashmir and the North East. Kapoor’s 1980 film, had the headlines. understand who a rapist is,” he says. Often, experts find two drives behind victims to believe that they could be when they get married,” criminal justice system is woe- With so many ‘decent’ men turning playing a rape victim he shares. , Murad how- explicit rape A Delhi-based IT professional, well Amod Kanth, retired director gen- rape — the sex drive and the other to capable of criminal acts. ful in its understanding and processes out to be rapists, experts warn women and teaming with oth- known among his friends as someone eral of police, Arunachal Pradesh (and possess and control. “(Though) moti- What it largely boils down to is patri- of dealing with sexual violence,” ever stuck to the set Rape is a power game, says Delhi- against being caught in vulnerable sit- er wronged women to polished and savvy, met a girl from formerly the Joint Commissioner of vation to rape is largely unlearned, based sociologist Dipankar Gupta. “A archy. Says Dr Sekar Kasi, head of the she says. uations that can make them potential image perfected by sequence in Chandigarh at a party. He fell in love Police, Delhi), thinks that the problem the techniques and strategies involved man will rape a woman who is vulner- department of social psychiatry at the victims. “It’s a curse of gender. Women predecessors as Prem castrate the rapists. with her, but when she didn’t may stem from social values created in committing rape are learned, able, not a woman in a powerful posi- National Institute of Mental Health must never be in a vulnerable position. Nath, Ranjeet and Bollywood. By the time Madhuri respond, drew out an elaborate plan by the rich. “The standards of permis- largely through operant conditioning tion,” he asserts. Rapists typically and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Remember it’s not the person, but the Prem Chopra, as his ch- Dixit played rape vict- to rape her — and succeeded. Nobody siveness are set by the rich, the power- rather than through attitudes and imi- strike when they know they can have Bangalore, “In a largely patriarchic Offender in uniform situation,” says Dipankar Gupta, add- aracter raped a young It showed im to Govind Namdeo’s who knew the boy thought him capa- ful and those highly-placed. Now, it is tation,” notes Lee Ellis in Theories of control over the victim. system, attitudes that tolerate, favour There are chinks in the soldier’s arm- ing, “The more the law comes down widow (played by Pad- assembly-line rich vil- ble of such a heinous act. all coming back to them,” he says. Rape: Inquiries Into the Causes of Sex- India’s first woman cop and former or encourage aggressive male behav- our of respectability as well. Sexual hard on rapists, the safer women will mini Kolhapure). the rape of lage guy in the RK Stu- New Delhi-based clinical psycholo- What makes it worse is that despite ual Aggression. Director General, Bureau of Police iour towards women could encourage violence has been part of the many tr- be in the long run.” Until that happens, Rape as a tool of rev- dio-produced dud, gist Rajat Mitra, who has conducted a being educated enough to know the These findings are consistent with Research & Development, Kiran Bedi acts of sexual assault. So perpetrators agic outcomes of war. But the percep- let’s hope decent men will stay decent. enge was most blata- a model by Prem Granth (1997), five-year study on 2,000 undertrials legal consequences of their actions, Rajat Mitra’s study of the Tihar under- likens it to a “dog on heat.” go scot-free. Especially in the case of tion of rape in war has changed of late. [email protected] the formula had ex- apparently decent men — even those It is no longer seen as an aggressive ntly seen in mid-eight- accused of rape at the Tihar jail, says the rapists (alleged and otherwise), trials. Mitra found that most of the Time, moment and place are import- [email protected] ies flicks such as Teri a rich man. hausted its commer- Meherbaniyan (1985) cial value. So, filmmak- and Aakhri Raasta (1986). The act was ers realised the only way to keep the an easy ploy at character sketch. rapist alive was falling back on the ‘real- ANAND JON Designer ROMAN POLANSKI ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER MIKE TYSON Boxer R. KELLY Rapper, songwriter As the villain has no mercy for ism’ theory. Chandra tried it with India-born, California-based designer, 36, The 42-year-old American boxer The American singer was accused of having women or their honour, no mercy her debut film Dushman in 1998, where has been convicted on 15 counts of Oscar-winning filmmaker Actor/politician remains the youngest man sexual intercourse with a should be shown to him by the hero the rapist (Ashutosh Rana) was a sexual assault and two counts of Celebrated filmmaker Roman The present governor of Califor- ever to win the WBC, WBA and minor, on the tape submitted in the climax. deranged man. Kalpana Lajmi handled rape, all allegedly carried out Raymond Polañski got nia has several allegations of IBF world heavyweight titles. to Chicago Police by former Bollywood, in fact, didn’t accept the subject of marital rape in Daman between October 2004 and embroiled in a sex-scandal in sexual misconduct against him. you as a saleable villain unless you (2001), a film that had Sayaji Shinde play- He was arrested in July 1991 for protégé and singer Sparkle. ing a man who has brutal sex with his March 2007. Jon, who used to 1977, then aged 44, involving Three women have claimed he the rape of Desiree Washing- Sparkle claimed the girl did at least one big rape scene. Real- 13-year-old Samantha Geimer. had grabbed their breasts, a ising as much, perhaps, Anupam Kher, wife (Raveena Tandon). count some high-profile Holly- ton, Miss Black Rhode Island, in was her niece and the who clicked as a villain around the The rapist failed to change his colours wood stars such as Janet Jackson It led to Polanski’s guilty plea to fourth said he placed his hand an Indianapolis hotel room. God-daughter of R. Kelly’s the charge of unlawful sexual ’80s, did the formality in Bhrash- from the set prototype, despite the and Paris Hilton as his clients, under her skirt. Another He was convicted on the wife. On June 6, 2002, Kelly tachar (1988), which has had among realistic themes. The only recent film was arrested on March 6, intercourse with a minor. In claimed he tried to take off charge on February 10, was indicted on 21 counts the nastiest rape scenes. one can recall where the depiction of 2007 after a rape allegat- January 2009, Geimer filed to have her bathing suit, and yet 1992, given a sentence for intercourse with a The rape formula that loyally stuck rape managed a fair balance between ion came up against him; the charges against Polanski another said he asked her of six years and rele- minor, later reduced to to stereotypes was even used in films shock and cinematic necessity would the first victim led to the dismissed from court, saying about a particular sex act. ased in March 1995. soliciting a minor for that claimed to denounce the heino- perhaps be in Shekhar Kapoor’s Bandit others. If proved guilty, that decades of publicity The 61-year-old has During his pornography, for us act. A prime example is Insaaf Ka Queen (1994). Brutally repulsive as it Jon could end up spend- and the prosecutor’s focus admitted he “behaved incarceration, which he was Taraazu, B.R. Chopra’s 1980 film about was, Kapoor’s celluloid recount of the WAYWARD WAYS OF WAYS WAYWARD ing the next 67 years of on lurid details continue badly sometimes” Tyson converted acquitted on a model who is raped by a rich man gang-rape on Phoolan Devi drove home

INTERNATIONAL CELEBS INTERNATIONAL his life behind bars. to traumatise her. and apologised. to Islam. June 13, 2008. (Raj Babbar), who then tries to rape the film’s premise. her sister ( Kolhapure). The [email protected]