Do women in Bollywood truly have the freedom to express their desires? Are their desires portrayed authentically, or are they still bound by the age-old stereotypes? These questions have lingered for decades as Hindi cinema has grappled with depicting female sexuality and desire. However, recent films like Lust Stories 2, featuring the talented actress Tillotama Shome, have begun to challenge the norm. With groundbreaking narratives like 'The Mirror' directed by Konkona Sen Sharma, a glimmer of hope emerges—a possibility of genuine representation.
In Konkona Sen Sharma's 'The Mirror,' one of the four captivating shorts in Lust Stories 2, female desire finds its unapologetic expression. It's the moment when Seema didi (played by Amruta Subhash) realizes that her employer, Isheeta (played by Tillotama Shome), takes pleasure in watching Seema and her husband engage in passionate lovemaking on Isheeta's bed in her upscale Bandra home.
This scene embodies both shock and acceptance—an unspoken agreement between them. Isheeta, a middle-aged graphic designer, leads a solitary life, dresses in androgynous Muji-style clothing, knows about fonts but struggles with leaky taps, and cries herself to sleep at night. Seema, on the other hand, serves as her maid, caring for her home as if it were her own. Seema even has a spare key to the apartment, but her newfound liberty comes at a cost.
Female desire and sexuality have always been complex subjects in Hindi cinema. Bollywood has traditionally portrayed women as objects of desire or objects to be admired. Film critics and academics have categorized female characters into four broad roles: the ideal wife, the ideal mother, the vamp, and the courtesan.
The ideal wife serves as a moral foil for the male protagonist, representing purity and morality. The ideal mother embodies strength and sacrifice, as epitomized by Mother India, and is revered for her ability to suppress her own desires for the sake of her children, family, and country.
On the other end of the spectrum is the vamp—a westernized or modern woman often associated with revealing attire, frequenting bars, dancing, speaking her mind unabashedly. The vamp is to be approached with caution, seen as a seductress rather than a companion.
Lastly, there's the courtesan, whose "kotha" offers men physical and emotional release, allowing them to escape the pressures of their marriages to ideal wives and mothers. However, the courtesan always lives on the fringes of society, never receiving respect beyond the services she provides to the heroes.
Of course, in the 21st century, Hindi cinema has begun to question and challenge these tropes, breaking their absolute boundaries. Characters like Pooja from 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham', Laila from 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,' and Alizeh from 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' have blurred the lines. These women embody modernity, yet they also possess qualities that fit into the societal framework of an ideal wife or mother. Their desires and needs are explored, but still within the boundaries of traditional expectations.
Despite these advancements, there has only been a small space within Hindi cinema to fully explore what women like Pooja, Laila, Alizeh, or even Saba truly desire from men. It was only with the advent of OTT platforms that provided a platform for diverse narratives that stories emerged, considering women as architects of their own sexual journeys rather than mere objects of desire.
In 1933, Hindi film audiences witnessed the first-ever on-screen kiss when Devika Rani planted one on co-star Himanshu Rai's lips in John Hunt's 'Karma.' That passionate kiss lasted an astounding four minutes, still holding the record for the longest on-screen kiss in a Hindi language film.
In 1996, Deepa Mehta's 'Fire' caused controversy among censors and a section of the audience for its portrayal of two women forming an intimate bond, neglected by their husbands. Loosely based on the story "Lihaaf" by the renowned Urdu writer Ismat Chughtai, the film presented women who chose to find love despite their circumstances.
In Mahesh Manjrekar's 2000 release 'Astitva,' the focus was not on love but rather on why a woman should settle for a relationship without sexual satisfaction. Nine years later, we witnessed Paro from Dev D dragging a mattress into the fields to satiate the fire in her loins.
In Sachin Kundalkar's 2012 romantic comedy Aiyyaa, the cult favorite starring Rani Mukherjee, we encountered a woman addicted to the scent of a man, showcasing a rare portrayal of a woman in heat and exploring deeper desires. Leena Yadav's 2016 film Parched delved into conversations among four women in rural Gujarat, providing a somber reflection on the absence of sexual fulfillment among other issues.
That same year, Alankrita Srivastava's groundbreaking directorial debut 'Lipstick Under My Burkha' caught the attention of the Censor Board once again. The film connected the idea of sexual desire with a postmenopausal woman, a previously unseen perspective on Indian screens. Usha Buaji's untamed desire for a man several years younger, despite being a widow, delighted some and unsettled many.
Anthology films like 'Lust Stories' (2018) and 'Ajeeb Dastaans' (2021) continued to present intriguing perspectives on female desire. Lust Stories explored the aftermath of a one-night stand, a woman cast aside by her male employer, an extramarital affair with her husband's close friend, and a woman turning to a vibrator when her husband couldn't satisfy her. Similarly, in 'Ajeeb Dastaans,' Neeraj Ghaywan's 'Geeli Pucchi' stood out, featuring Konkona Sen Sharma as a lower-caste factory worker who develops feelings for an upper-caste colleague with no technical skills. Their kiss is reciprocated, but social acceptance remains elusive—an example of the inherent cruelty underscored by Sharma's directorial venture in Lust Stories 2, where inequality exists within a backdrop of social imbalance.
So, what distinguishes some portrayals of female desire and sexuality in Bollywood as more nuanced and authentic than others? One crucial aspect is intent. In Homi Adajania's 'Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo,' one of the lead characters engages in a lustful encounter with a servant boy while wearing a VR headset. The scene lacks any subtlety or nuance, serving solely for titillation in a show filled with artificially voracious and angry women.
Another important factor is the female gaze. Although rare, the felt experience of sexual awakening that only a woman can bring to the table—with exceptions, of course—adds depth to these narratives. It's within the female gaze that the worlds of Isheeta and Seema collide and where they find amicable coexistence, if not something deeper.
As Konkona Sen Sharma herself mentioned, her intention was not to create sexual arousal in the audience. That's something they can explore on their own. Instead, she aimed to grant Seema (Amruta Subhash) respect and dignity, entering the room only when Seema allowed it. The audience witnesses Seema's pleasure when Isheeta watches her perform, and the film deliberately avoids close-up shots of explicit sex scenes.
While Bollywood has come a long way in exploring female desire, there is still much progress to be made. The rise of OTT platforms and the emergence of diverse narratives have provided a space for more nuanced and realistic portrayals. These portrayals are not solely for titillation but delve into the complexities of love, empathy, and intersectionality. By continuing to challenge traditional tropes and embracing the female gaze, we can hope for more engaging and relatable stories that celebrate the diverse experiences of women and their desires with wit, humor, and genuine insight.