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Paper-10 Module-20 Actresses and Stardom I. (A) Personal Details

Role Name Affiliation Principal Investigator Prof. Sumita Parmar University, Allahabad

Paper Coordinator Prof. Sisir Basu ,

Content Writer/Author (CW) Mr.Sudarshan Yadav Assistant ProfessorCentral University of , Content Reviewer (CR) Prof. Sisir Basu Benaras Hindu University Language Editor (LE) Prof. Sumita Parmar Allahabad University

Description of Module

Items Description of Module Subject Name Women’s Studies Paper Name Women, Media & Films Module Name/ Title Actresses and Stardom Module ID Paper-10 Module-20 Pre-requisites The reader is expected to have the knowledge of . The kind of films made in and different actors and actresses known in the media. They are also required to keep in their mind the time and the context in which different actresses appeared on-screen. Objectives To make the readers aware about the idea of stardom and star system. In doing so dominance of male actors in the would be discussed. Further the cases of female stars with their prominence would be brought into notice of the reader. Keywords Actress, Star, Stardom, Star System, Positioning, Advertising, Product, USP, Box-office.

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Women, Media and Films Women’s Studies Actresses and Stardom

Actresses and Stardom

1.0. Objectives This module is designed to familiarize you with the idea of Star and the Star system in the film industry. It would tell you about its origin in and its extension to Bollywood. Since the focus of this module is on film actresses and their stardom, you will be introduced to the idea through different cases from different eras. After having studied this module you would be able to:

 Define Star, Stardom and Star System;  Analyse the monopoly of male actors in the film industry;  Describe the appearance of different female actors in different eras;  Find out the film actresses and stardom in Bollywood at different times; and  Evaluate the appearance of Bollywood’s new female stars and whether they are able to give competition to the male actors.

1.1. Introduction The module, Actresses and Stardom, will cover altogether five themes for establishing the idea of stardom and where the female actors exist under this framework. It will further look into the appearance of female actors from different times and how with changing times their role and image also changed. This discussion would lead us further into analysing the emergence of new female stars in the present PaperBollywood Coordinator and h ow they are changing the role of women in the cinema business. Let us now discuss each theme which has been mentioned in the order as put above.

1.2. Star SystemContent andWriter Stardom Whenever we watch a movie or a trailer, we find there is a reference to stars. The actors and actresses in the films are referred to as Stars. But why are they referred to as stars when there is an existing terminology like actor and actress. Also, what is the significance of this term (viz., Star) and why is it Content Reviewer used in the film industry? The terms ‘actors’ and ‘actresses’ have a broader meaning (one who acts in one of the mediums of entertainment) which can be used in the context of films, TV serials, , theatre, etc. But, Star has a very specific meaning. It conveys to the audience an image, an aura or an idea by which a particular actor and actress is known. It is a kind of identity or positioning (Unique Selling Proposition, USP) of a particular actor in the minds of the audience. This image is made and sold by the film industry in order to market their product (viz., films). Earlier, the actors used to work on their own for their image and the audience also would look for a particular style of an actor whom they imitated. The concept of star came first in the Hollywood during the studio system to promote their films and actors/actresses. Later on the same thing influenced other national cinemas which include Indian cinema (Bollywood) too. 2

Women, Media and Films Women’s Studies Actresses and Stardom

Let us now understand what we mean by a Star. A Star is an image, not a real person that is constructed (as any other aspect of fiction is) out of a range of materials (e.g. advertising magazines, films and music, etc.). With stars, the terms involved are essentially images. ‘Image’ here means a complex configuration of visual, verbal and aural signs. This configuration may constitute the general image of stardom or of a particular star. It is manifest not only in films but all kinds of media texts. 1 Thus an image (idea) by which an artiste is known with particular reference to films and is sold to the audience is known as Star and the kind of celebrity status those Stars enjoy is known as Stardom. This whole process of development of a star image in the film industry through different media texts comes under the purview of Star System where images are constructed and sold.

1.3. Monopoly of Male Actors in Film Industry 1.3.1. Ever since the first film was screened in India by the Lumeire brothers and later on the first feature film was released in 1913 (Film: Raja ; Director: Dadasahab Phalke), the film as a creative art and business has been the domain of males. Even the female characters were played by male actors, as the women were reluctant to act in films because they considered it derogatory to their image (even the women who were involved in sex-work and kothas of that era were not interested). To some extent the scenario in Hollywood was different but it still was governed by males. So was the case of stars and stardom; the males ruled the film industry and the hearts of the audience and women actors were mainly portrayed as family beings (portrayed as mother, sister, wife, aunt, lover, etc.), entertainment fillers or objecst of spectacle in the films. This was the only image to which the women stars were subjected to for many years except in some of the remarkable films (Acchut Kanya, Duniya Na Mane, Bandini, , etc.) where female protagonists had stronger characters.

1 Richard Dyer, Stars as Images, p. 153, chapter 8, http://ollicelebrityinamerica.weebly.com/uploads/3/7/1/9/37199089/dyer.pdf, Accessed on 20 July 2015 3

Women, Media and Films Women’s Studies Actresses and Stardom

Figure 1 A screenshot from 's female centric film Bandini Although there were some female actors making their space in the male dominated industry, it was ruled by male stars of the ilk of K. L. Saigal, , , (first Superstar), , , , etc. But the real zenith of male actor’s dominion in the industry came with the arrival of the -trio in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Khan trio refers to , , and Shahrukh Khan, who dictated to the film industry on their own terms. Let us now discuss the Khan Hegemony in the next sub theme.

1.3.2. Khan Hegemony It was in 1988 that Aamir Khan joined the industry as a leading actor with the film . Only a year later, Salman Khan joined the industry with his film while Shahrukh Khan came in 1992 with his films Deewana, Dil Aashiana Hai, Chamatkar and .

Aamir Khan went on to gain the title of Mr. Perfectionist, who would act in only one film in a year which would become a box-office success. While Shahrukh Khan owing to his good looks, charming personality and romantic image got the title of King Khan/ Baadshah of Bollywood (King of Bollywood). Salman Khan, the one who popularized chiselled body (6-pack abs, with the influence of Bruce Lee) became the 100-Crore actor whose every film would break Bollywood’s box-office records. Initially he did romantic films which gave him a lover-boy image but later on a rebellious action hero image with a large-hearted persona got attached to him. Initial films like Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, were romantic films while later on Ek Thaa Tiger, Kick, Wanted, , , Jai Ho were action thrillers.

Initially, Aamir Khan also worked in romantic films (romance is an integral part of movie plots and stardom in India; 80s and 90s are the era of romance in Bollywood as many films 4

Women, Media and Films Women’s Studies Actresses and Stardom

of this age are still considered to be the best romantic films ever made in Bollywood cinema). Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Dil, Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahi, Ishq, Rangeela, , , etc., were the romantic films of Aamir Khan; while Baazi, Earth, , , Mangal Pandey: The Rising, Rag De Basanti were his patriotic films and related to nationalist idea.

Thus, in the name of these stars, the films are sold to the distributors and to the market which in turn gives a certain assurance that the film would be successful. For almost two and a half decades this trio has ruled the Bollywood industry and in many ways changed the rules of the game. Also, each one of them have their own production houses to promote themselves (now they have become a brand of a production house which is similar to Inc.) as brands as well as make films with upcoming actors. It is interesting to know that in these two and a half decades of their reign, many actresses came and left the industry (owing to their age, marriage, falling demand by the audience or less offers from the industry) but the charm of these three men never evaporated.

1.4. Film actresses and Stardom in Bollywood 1.4.1. An Overview In the initial years, female actors were included in the films mostly as a family woman/lover or for singing and dancing, while in later years, with the development of market and film turning into a business (attracting advertising and marketing) female actors personified images of sensuality or became the objects of spectacle to which the audiences were glued to derive sensual pleasure. Eventually, on many occasions, this image has been shattered by many women oriented films that advanced their issues with many times women themselves becoming the main protagonisst.

1.4.2. Reference to different female actors from different times Here, one thing must be understood that when we take Indian cinema, it is a much broader term that includes all the regional films and film industries, including Bangla, Assamese, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, , and other language films along with mainstream Bollywood cinema. So, it is obvious that all these film industries have their own stars who dominate that regional industry. These industries are equally flourishing, catering to their niche (regional language) audience.

But in the context of this module, our discussion will be focused on Bollywood. The reason for focusing on this industry is that it is a mainstream industry as large part of India is Hindi speaking. Besides, Hindi is one among the top five most spoken languages in the world 5

Women, Media and Films Women’s Studies Actresses and Stardom

which adds to its mass appeal crossing all geographical boundaries, national as well as international. Now with more sophisticated technology and high investments, Bollywood has gained the prominence and control of the film industry of India. Thus, the mass appeal of stars is also great with the huge number of audience (Hindi understanding viewers). Bollywood produces the highest number of films in a year in the world; and has the highest number of viewers (everyday 14 million Indians go to a movie in the country) and screens. Also IIFA (International Indian Film ; instituted in 2000) awards and invitation given to actors and actresses of India to the Cannes, and other International film festivals (as jury) have added to this mass appeal and popularity. Now let us discuss about different female actors from different era.

Figure 2 was one of the jury members of 66th in 2013 (Image source: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/aishwarya-rai-bachchan-cannes-2013-red-carpet-469447) In the context of Bollywood, the first women actor and director was Ms. Fatma Begum who is considered to be a star of that era. Later, her daughters, , Shehzadi and Sultana, ruled the hearts of the audience. Zubeida was the first superstar of the talkie era; she worked in the film Alam Ara (1931, Director: ). But still the industry was 6

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governed by the males.

Figure 3 Fatma Begum, India's first female film director (Image Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/photos/entertainment/cineframes/article4-1050282.aspx)

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Figure 4 Master Vithal and Zubeida in first Indian talkie film Alam Ara (1931) Some more female actors were in the league of Stars; they were , , , , , , Shanti, Bala, , Kumari, , , , Sadhana, , Waheeda , Vaijayantimala, , etc. The Anglo-Indian star Fearless Nadia (1908–1996) dominated the stunt genre in films for like (1935) and Miss Frontier Mail (1936).2 Early stars often had backgrounds in theater, but the first major female stars of Indian cinema before Devika Rani (1907–1994; the leading lady at Talkies and eventual head of the studio) were often Anglo-Indian, including Patience Cooper, Sulochana (Ruby Meyers; 1907–1983), and the stunt Fearless Nadia (Mary Evans). 3

2 Corey K. Creekmur Jyotika Virdi; India in Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film, Page 16; Volume 3, –ROAD MOVIES, Barry Keith Grant EDITOR IN CHIEF; Thomson Gale. 3 Corey K. Creekmur Jyotika Virdi; India in Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film, Page 19; Volume 3, INDEPENDENT FILM–ROAD MOVIES, Barry Keith Grant EDITOR IN CHIEF; Thomson Gale. 8

Women, Media and Films Women’s Studies Actresses and Stardom

Figure 5 Fearless Nadia aka Mary Evans in a 1948 film 11 O'Clock In the 1960s, Shobhna Samarth, Saira Banu, , , , Rajshree, Vimi, , and Mumtaz were the leading actresses of the film industry. They gave some of the phenomenal hits of their career in this decade. Each one of them made their mark on the hearts of the audience with their style and aura.

The golden age’s female stars, including Nargis (1929–1981), (1933–1969), and Waheeda (b. 1936), often balanced the tightrope between traditional Indian femininity and Hollywood glamour. 4 Even the artistically ambitious New Indian Cinema was not immune to a star system, which included actors such as (b. 1950), and (1955– 1986). They rose to prominence in the films of . 5

The actresses of the sort of , Jaya Bhaduri (Bachchan), , Raakhee, Shabana Azmi, , , , , Smita Pa til, , , were the prominent names of the decade of 1970s. It is in this

4 Ibid. Page 19 5 Ibid. page 19-20 9

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decade that audience came across the landmark films of these actresses and they became the household name across the country. Hema Malini became the ‘dream girl’ and had an image of a traditional, homely and bubbly girl. Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi shattered the stereotypical ways in which the women were portrayed in the films. They brought the oomph and sensuality in the films of Bollywood. Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil were known as the sensible actors portraying issues related to women. Among all these names, one prominent star is Rekha. She is one such actress who is considered to be a diva who even after generations has the magic lingering in the minds of even the younger generations. Her bubbliness, elegance, vivaciousness and sensuous acting made her win the hearts of millions.

This era was ruled mainly by Sharmila Tagore, Hema Malini, Parveen Babi, Mumtaz, Saira Bano, and Zeenat Aman. The disappearance of this league happened with the arrival of Sri Devi and , who worked with almost all the big male stars of Bollywood. Madhuri was the amalgamation of sensuality, dancing and acting skills. She brought that image of a girl who ruled the audience from India and across the world. She lived up to the “Dhak Dhak Girl” title that the media gave her after a famous dance sequence in the film Beta (Son; 1992; Director: ) that established her as an epitome of sensuality and immaculate combination of dance and expressions.

In 1980, some more actresses joined the film industry. These actresses were: Tina Munim (Ambani), Rati Agnihotri, Kolhapure, , , , Yogeeta Bali, Mandakini, Farha Naaz, Neelam, Biswas, , . Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit rose to the stature of superstars among the actresses.

Later in the 1990s, , Kimi Katkar, Farheen, , , Manisha , , , , Karisma , , , , , , Aishwarya Rai, made their mark in the Bollywood film industry. Female stars such as Madhuri Dixit (b. 1967) and Aishwarya Rai (b. 1973) continued to represent the tension between traditional Indian values and feisty, often erotic, independence. 6 Some more film actresses who rose to fame in the 1990s but couldn’t go long were Anu Agarwal, , Ayesha Julka, Madhoo, , Twinkle Khanna, , Preity Zinta, and .

The decade of the 1990s was the transition phase as the country faced the era of globalization and liberalization as well as cable TV and satellite TV arrived in India which changed all together the ball game of film viewing and star system. Let me remind you this

6 Ibid. page 20 10

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is the era of Khan-trio --- the Kings; the true heirs of Bollywood. The audience got the taste of international programmes and films through the international TV channels available through Cable TV. This shift inspired and brought a lot of change in the Bollywood film industry which till then was only offering eithera dream world to the audience with formula (Masala) films (dance, music, some drama, etc.) or films addressing societal problems. Now directors started to invent and discover the cinema . With this, they started to focus on plot and approach. This provided an avenue to young and aspiring female actors who started to get challenging roles. This was the time of Juhi Chawla, Divya Bharti, , Kajol, Ravina Tandon, Preity Zinta, Aishwarya Rai, Karishma Kapoor, etc. In spite of being a dusky beauty, Kajol governed the film industry and her dominance is an example of changing society and Bollywood. Her films were welcomed by the audience. A detailed discussion about Kajol will be done in the next section.

The late 90s and early 21st century brought the digital age (Internet age) in India. It is in this decade (2000s) that many young and fresh faces joined the film industry. The prominent ones were: , , , Amisha Patel, , Celina Jaitley, , , , Sherawat, , Konkona Sen, , Vidya Balan, , , , , Thottumkal, , , , , .

Among them, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, , Vidya Balan, Katrina Kaif, Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Kangana Ranaut rose to stardom and changed many patterns of Bollywood. Kareena popularised the zero figure among the youth while Priyanka became the Bollywood’s answer to Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron of Hollywood. Mallika changed the way women were put on silver screen. She became an image of boldness as she accepted films presenting erotic bed scenes with ease. Vidya Balan, Deepika Padukone and Kangana Ranaut are the prominent names of Bollywood stardom whom we’ll discuss in our next section.

Later in the second decade of 21st century, many names joined the league of actresses. Those are , , , , Sarah Jane Dias, , Neha Sharma, , , , , Ileana D'Cruz, , , , , .

Changing times, Change in Scenario: Some Cases

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This section would deal with some of the stars from different times especially in the globalization age. As with the change in the economy and the industry, the Bollywood business also changed. It is in these changing times many remarkable changes happened with the appearance and prominence of female stars in Bollywood. These actors reached the drawing room of the audience through cable and satellite TV. Thus their popularity rose to great heights which earlier was only restricted to cinema theatres, posters, newspaper, magazines and music labels. This was also the time when the role of women in the society started to change and many social structures were challenged and Bollywood didn’t remain an exception to this. Also these stars became an important marketing tool for promoting consumerism in the society which is an important aspect of the market economy where the products are sold through the icons with which public feel an attachment or ones who have become role models. It is in this era and further on that some of the female stars made their prominent place in the film industry. Some of the examples are discussed below.

Aishwarya Rai is one such actress who is known not only in the Indian market but is also known internationally. Being a -1994, she is considered a beauty with the brains. It was this image which was put in different media where she promoted eye donation after death (as her eyes are considered to be one of the beautiful eyes in the world). Later on when she was pregnant with Aradhyaa she stored and preserved the stem cells of her daughter at the time of birth. Not only the social responsibility but her romantic life was also used by the industry for the promotion of the films. Her relationships with Salman Khan, Oberoi and and the fight among them became a scoop for different media. She is considered to be the synonym of beauty throughout the world.

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Figure 6 Aishwarya Rai at the 66th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes in 2013 (Image source: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/aishwarya-rai-bachchan-cannes-2013-red-carpet-469447) Many actors from the industry and even the common people refer to the beauty of other women by complimenting them with the words like they look like Aishwarya. She is the first actress from India whose wax was put in wax museum. Also she made her international mark through films like (2004), (2005), Provoked (2006), (2007), and Pink Panther 2 (2009). She was invited to be a jury member at Cannes (one of the firsts along with Nandita Das and other film personalities who followed, i.e., Vidya Balan, Sharmila Tagore and Arundhati Rai). She is a regular visitor at Cannes and is a well-sought-after Indian actor there. Vidya Balan and Frieda Pinto also are well known names in Cannes. Also Aishwarya Rai is the only actress in whose name Holland has named a Tulip flower owing to the beauty of Aishwarya during 6th IIFA events in 2005 which were held in Amsterdam, Netherlands. So the image of brainy beauty along with the romantic life and being a daughter-in-law of the Bachchan family added to her class and elegance in society.

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Priety Zinta is considered to be a brave-heart not only in terms of the films which she chose and acted in but also the kind of life she lived. In her initial years in the industry, she worked in the films, Kya Kehna (Director: ) and Chupke Chupke (Director: Mustan), which were different films for the taste of Indian audience. The first film was on being an unmarried mother and other one about a surrogate mother. Later she also stood by her stance in the court of law in the infamous case related to film-financer and diamond merchant and his alleged underworld links. In this case, all the leading actors and actresses backed out from their initial statement. It was only Preity Zinta who testified what she said earlier and she was dubbed as a real hero of the film world. Again in 2014 she shocked the world by pressing charges of harassment and molestation against her long time fiancé and business partner in the , Ness Wadia (heir of the ). She has always challenged the established norms of the society and addressed the same in her films. She acted in the films like Sangharsh, Soldier, Dil Se, , Dil Chahta Hai, Koi Mil Gya, Kya Kehna, Veer Zaara, Salaam Namaste, , Heaven on Earth, Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha, Jaan-E-Mann, The Hero: Love Story of A Spy, Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega, Armaan, Lakshya, Mission , etc.

Kajol: Another remarkable female star of Bollywood who appeared in the 90s and continued to reign over the hearts of the fans even after her marriage is Kajol. Being a granddaughter of Shobhana Samarth and a niece of Star actress of yester years Nutan, Kajol had a lot to prove and she indeed was successful in the same. Kajol, the daughter of , a dusky beauty of girl next door image and the on-screen romantic pairing with Shahrukh Khan governed the hearts of the audience. She acted in the films like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, , Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham, Fanaa, , Pyar Kiya to Darna Kya, Ishq, etc. She acted with all three Khans of Bollywood. She left Bollywood at the peak of her stardom to marry her long time fiancé Ajay Devgan and gave prominence to her family instead of career. So she epitomised the idea of a family woman who cares for her personal life, family and friends. Even after her marriage she shares the same bond and friendship with her co-stars Shahrukh Khan and Johar, and .

Here one special reference can be made of Divya Bharti who attained stardom only in her teens. She died in 1993 at the age of 19, still she was a star. She did films like , Deeewana, Rang, Kshatriya, Shola and Shabnam, etc. She was very outspoken and had bubbly girl like image to add to the idea of new heroine.

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1.5. Bollywood’s New Female Stars: Above male Actors? As discussed above, after the year 2000 with the arrival of Internet in India, the audience became more mature with regard to the treatment and plot of films; as now they could see films online and in the multiplexes. Thus in this era, the arrival of the new heroine happened in Bollywood, who not only dictated the changes in Bollywood but also single-handedly made films successful without any involvement of male stars or big names of film industry. Even the films with low budget became successful in the presence of these female Stars. Some of the examples are: Deepika Padukone, Vidya Balan, and Kangana Ranaut.

1.5.1. Vidya Balan She came late in the Bollywood (i.e., in her late 20s) and made a slow start with the film (2006; Director: Pradeep ). Later on she did some small budget and unsuccessful films like , Hey Baby, etc. But the real breakthrough came with the release of film, , which is dubbed as the most original script of Bollywood till date. Her image in this film is revealed in resonance with Shakti (Durga). She got a National Award for this film. Later on she did films like , Paa, , Dirty Picture, (unsuccessful film), Lage Raho Bhai, and

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Ghanchakkar which changed the portrayal and image of Indian heroine. In all these films she portrayed a strong female protagonist and led the change in the concept of a Hindi film heroine. Her later films which brought her critical acclaim, were the roles that she believed in rather than chosen by convention. Media many times have acknowledged her fo r being bold and daring in her choices. Vidya embodies the idea of raw Indian sexuality which is very averse to the anglicised idea. She is considered to be the one pioneering the movement that broke the stereotypical portrayal of heroines in Bollywood. 7 Her major commercial success of Dirty Picture and Kahaani earned her the title of a female hero which she finds as sexist.8 Still this is an honour to be considered as a hero in the male-dominated film industry. She is also considered to be the most sensible actor in the industry who works for the social causes. She also did one advertisement for promoting hygiene and cleanliness and having toilet at home especially for women. She even got from the Indian government as well as received a doctorate degree from Rai University for her immense work in the area of women emancipation in her real life and through her films.

1.5.2. Deepika Padukone Daughter of an ace shuttler, , Deepika took to the path of films. Her first film was with Shahrukh Khan (; Director: Khan) which was a remake of . Later she did some unsuccessful films but films like , Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, Express, Ramleela: Goliyoin ki Rasleela, Happy New Year, , etc. and became great success at the box-office. She became the first female star of Bollywood to have been given a special award for giving three successful 100 crore films in a year. Also in the 100 years of Indian film industry it is one of the rarest occasion that during the titles given in the film, the name of a female star (actress) came first i.e., of Deepika Padukone before Shahrukh Khan in the film . Till now name of male actors appeared first. Earlier Bina Rai’s name appeared before in the film Taj Mahal (1963; Director: M Sadiq).

Deepika is presently the highest paid actress in Bollywood. She is not only known for her beauty (sharp facial features with big eyes and tall athletic body with long legs) but also for her acting skills which she showcased in many of her later films. She is known for bold

7 , Why Vidya Balan rules, , New , Updated: Dec 17, 2011. Available from: http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/why-vidya-balan-rules/article1-783531.aspx. Accessed on 10 August 2015 8 Shalvi Mangaokar, Calling me a hero is very sexist: Vidya Balan, Hindustan Times, , Updated: May 24, 2014. Available from: http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/calling-me-a-hero-is-very-sexist-vidya-balan/article1- 1222339.aspx. Accessed on 10 August 2015. 16

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persona and as an actor who sticks to her decision while maintaining a balance between her personal and professional life. She defied the norm that children would follow their parent’s profession, and chose modelling and acting as her career. She is again idolising the same old Bollywood image of an actress, i.e., representing the tension between traditional Indian values and feisty, often erotic, independence. Cocktail, , Happy New Year, Chennai Express are such films. Interestingly the changes which Deepika brought are with respect to how she handles her personal life. Till now in Bollywood, actresses were not very open to the idea of revealing their hook-ups in the public. Also the actresses were the divas who kept almost same image as that portrayed in their films, most of it was never defying the societal norms. She openly accepted her relationship with and later with Ranvir Singh and even was never reluctant in showing her love in public. On one occasion she even criticized a leading English daily of India for improper representation of her photograph on their web portal, revealing her and making a sensational news item. To this she responded on handle saying, ‘Yes, I have a cleavage. Do you have a problem?’ In this regard she garnered a lot of support from the film industry and on social networking sites. Only a year later she was found to enjoy erotic/double meaning jokes in the AIB Roast. For this, she was criticized that how can she behave like this when only a year ahead she has condemned media for irresponsible behavior. The society tried to bring her under its norm and to her to toe the line. But again in response to this she appeared in My Choice Video directed by as an initiative for Women Empowerment.

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Figure 7 Deepika Padukone in a still from My Choice, a short film made for Vogue magazine In this video she appeared along with 99 women from different walks of life to make a statement about idea of women empowerment, i.e., women is the Universe and they have the right and authority to choose the kind of life they may want to live. This video got almost one crore views on Youtube (Deepika Padukone – "My Choice" Directed By Homi Adajania - Vogue Empower; Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtPv7IEhWRA) but was equally criticized by a large section of society for distorting the idea of (women empowerment). So through this video she made her point very clear that it is her life and she is free to live as she wants, whether she is demanding an apology from the newspaper for the sensational news or enjoying at AIB roast, it is her choice. In the same way she again made it to the news by appearing on NDTV where she accepted to have been suffering from depression. Through this act she revealed another aspect of a star’s life which many hide, but she chose to bring it in front of the world in order to facilitate awareness about this issue. Here she talked about how her family, especially the mother helped her out in dealing with this disease. Later this mother-daughter relationship was cashed on by Tanishq (a jewellery brand) to come up with an advertisement on mother’s day. In this video Deepika and her mother’s bond had been shown. So we can see how Deepika has changed the whole image of heroine which till now was forced to present conforming idea to the society. But now heroines/stars have their own identity and individuality.

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Women, Media and Films Women’s Studies Actresses and Stardom

1.5.3. Kangana Ranaut The most remarkable case among all of these actors is that of Kangana Ranaut. Hailing from a simple middle class family of , she chose to act in films. Facing reluctance from the family she ran away and started her career in Bollywood without any film background or godfather. She has now become an image of success and a rebellious actor who is giving back to back blockbusters. She had a humble start under the banner of (Producers: and ). The films were and Wo (2006); which were considered to be based on the lives of - relationship, and Parveen Babi and Mahesh Bhatt’s relationship respectively.

The significant films of Kangana’s career are Queen, , , Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Fashion, Rajjo, (upcoming movie), I Luv New York (yet to be released) where a new heroine, and even anti-heroine in some cases, is portrayed by Kangana which do not conform to the societal image or acceptance of a girl. She defied as well as defined these norms in her personal life as well as the films which she chose for her. She is shown in her movies to be smoking, drinking, killing people or talking openly about every topic in this universe including sex. These things till now were considered to be a taboo in the society as well as in the film industry in terms of the portrayal of women on- screen. Interesting thing is that till now she has only worked with the new upcoming directors and actors. Also, till date she has not worked with any of the Khans (the Khan Trio: Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan). This adds to her credentials of being a true Superstar, a female star of Indian cinema and at present she is defying the norms and stereotyped image of a girl/ heroine. She is one of the highly paid female stars of the Bollywood and her last three films had gained critical acclaim as well as box-office success (Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Revolver Rani and Queen). She even got the National Award for her acting in the film Queen.

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Women, Media and Films Women’s Studies Actresses and Stardom

Figure 8 Poster of the film Queen that was released on March 7, 2014 (Image source: Official page of the film - https://www.facebook.com/Queenthefilm) As far as her image is concerned, she is considered to be an honest person speaking on every issue without any layers. Kangana Ranaut along with Vidya Balan has been credited for spearheading a movement that breaks stereotypes of a Hindi film heroine by playing the protagonist in films not starring a well-known male star.9 She was initially written off due to her "funny accent" and the negative publicity generated by her troubled relationships and being vocal. However, later her defining fashion choices and her unconventional film roles eventually established her as a star and established her as a style icon. 10

9 Saibal Chatterjee, Power actors: Marking a clear shift in gender dynamics, Bollywood embraces films spearheaded by female protagonists, Spectrum: , March 23, 2014. Available from: http://wayback.archive.org/web/20140327023445/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140323/spectrum/enter1.htm. Accessed on 10 August 2015.

10 Nanki Singh, Clueless why I deserve this stardom: Kangana Ranaut, Hindustan Times, , Updated: Feb 15, 2014. Available from: http://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/clueless-why-i-deserve-this-stardom-kangana- ranaut/article1-1183966.aspx. Accessed on: 10 August 2015. 20

Women, Media and Films Women’s Studies Actresses and Stardom

1.6. Let Us Sum Up We have understood the idea of stardom and star system, i.e., with the commercialization of the film industry, the actors and actresses were given an image which was used for marketing the film as well as other merchandise related to cinema. This image can be personal or created.

The Star system comes from Hollywood, which later on influenced many national cinemas across the world. Initially, cinema was the domain of males; so was the case with stars which was mainly dominated by males. In the Indian context too, males dominated the silver screen; prominent ones being the Khan-trio (Shahrukh, Salman and Aamir) in the recent times. Gradually, things started to change and women too started to get their space on the silver screen. Initially, it was only confined to family, singing and dancing and being seductresses but gradually women started to get the status of a star. In the 21st century, films are being written keeping female film stars in mind where they are put as a strong protagonist. In this regard we have discussed how with changing times the status of female stars also changed. This was discussed by giving different examples. The prominent ones were Aishwarya Rai, Preity Zinta, Kajol and Divya Bharti. Three cases where discussed in detail viz., Vidya Balan, Deepika Padukone and Kangana Ranaut. In this regard one point must be understood that this whole change in the way women are portrayed can be attributed to change in the society of today. As filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt remarked: “these are permissive times and films reflect the lifestyle of urban India.”11 The portrayal of women in cinema is now undergoing a big change. Today, one can expect to see the lead actress drink, smoke, speak her mind and even kill in her film. 12 Similarly, Vidya Balan said, "I am happy to be the face of change. It is high time the glass ceiling broke in cinema. We were being subservient to heroes. I am now being offered roles where the heroine has an identity of her own. It reflects what is happening everywhere in the world and in our country too.”13 Thus we can say that society is changing and so is the cinema which mirrors the society. It is accepting many things which till now were considered to be taboo and giving equal space to women that they deserved.

11 Bharati Dubey, Gals, guts and glory: Women power reaches another high in Bollywood, Mid Day, Posted 14 -Jul-2014 Available from: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/gals-guts-and-glory-women-power-reaches-another-high-in- bollywood/15445182#sthash.wD340pgF.dpuf. Accessed on 10 August 2015.

12 Ibid. 13 Vidya Balan Hindi Cinema’s New Bold, , January 16 2012. Available from: http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/vidya-balan-hindi-cinemas-new-bold/890115/0. Accessed on 10 August 2015. 21

Women, Media and Films Women’s Studies Actresses and Stardom

1.7. REFERENCES  Mihir Bose, Bollywood: A History, The Lotus Collection: Roli Books, , 2008  Geoffrey Nowell-Smith (Ed.), The Oxford History of World Cinema, , 17th edition, 1999.  Richard Dyer, Stars, BFI Publishing, , 1998.  Richard Dyer, Stars as Images, (Available from: http://ollicelebrityinamerica.weebly.com/uploads/3/7/1/9/37199089/dyer.pdf)  Richard Dyer, Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society, Second Edition, Routledge, London and New York, 2004.  McDonald Paul, The Star System: Hollywood's Production of Popular Identities, Columbia University Press, USA, 2000.  Andrea Bandhauer and Michelle Royer (Ed.), Stars in World Cinema: Screen Icons and Star Systems Across Cultures, I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd, 2015.  Su Holmes, ‘Starring… Dyer?’: Re-visiting Star Studies and Contemporary Celebrity Culture, University of Kent, Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture © 2005 (University of Westminster, London), Vol. 2(2): 6-21, ISSN 1744-6708 (Print); 1744-6716 (Online) (Available from: http://www.westminster.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/20159/002Holmes.pdf)  Corey K. Creekmur Jyotika Virdi; India in Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film, Volume 3, INDEPENDENT FILM–ROAD MOVIES, Barry Keith Grant EDITOR IN CHIEF; Thomson Gale.  Vir Sanghvi, Why Vidya Balan rules, Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Updated: Dec 17, 2011. Available from: http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/why-vidya-balan- rules/article1-783531.aspx. Accessed on 10 August 2015  Shalvi Mangaokar, Calling me a hero is very sexist: Vidya Balan, Hindustan Times, Mumbai, Updated: May 24, 2014. Available from: http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/calling-me-a-hero-is-very-sexist-vidya- balan/article1-1222339.aspx. Accessed on 10 August 2015.  Saibal Chatterjee, Power actors: Marking a clear shift in gender dynamics, Bollywood embraces films spearheaded by female protagonists, Spectrum: The Tribune, March 23, 2014. Available from: http://wayback.archive.org/web/20140327023445/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140 323/spectrum/enter1.htm. Accessed on 10 August 2015.  Nanki Singh, Clueless why I deserve this stardom: Kangana Ranaut, Hindustan Times, Chandigarh, Updated: Feb 15, 2014. Available from:

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/clueless-why-i-deserve-this-stardom-kangana- ranaut/article1-1183966.aspx. Accessed on: 10 August 2015.  Bharati Dubey, Gals, guts and glory: Women power reaches another high in Bollywood, Mid Day, Posted 14-Jul-2014; Available from: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/gals-guts- and-glory-women-power-reaches-another-high-in- bollywood/15445182#sthash.wD340pgF.dpuf. Accessed on 10 August 2015.

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Women, Media and Films Women’s Studies Actresses and Stardom