Question- How is the media helpful in determining the image of women?

Related Short Answer Questions

1. Who has the power to influence public opinion?
   
2. Which are the films that have challenged the traditional stereotype?

Answer -

Films and media can challenge existing social relations or even strengthen gender relations. They have the ability to influence public opinion. While advertising the products, commercial media targets children. It thinks about the ways through which adults have to buy products through children. Simultaneously, commercial films, short films and media reports challenge patriarchy and are also educative. Recently Microsoft produced and released a short film to educate children about the contribution of women scientists. At the beginning of the film, a child is shown sitting in a library. That child is asking questions in relation to who invented what and what are the names of the scientists? The children were able to tell the names of male scientists very easily but were not able to tell the names of female scientists. The short film ends with a commentary on the contribution of women scientists.

Movies in India are made in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and many other Indian languages. There is a lot of attraction in the public towards these films and these films affect the public a lot in relation to decision making related to conservatism. Few films in India were made outside the ruts of regular conservatism and one such film to challenge gender conservatism in these films was ‘Pink’. The film acknowledged women’s ability to make decisions. It challenged the existing stereotypes about women in many respects. The film ‘Ki-Ka’ brought to the fore the possibilities of changing gender roles.

The Bollywood film ‘Chak De India’ was another successful commercial film that challenged gender relations. The film is about the prejudices that Indian girls face in sports. Due to patriarchy and the strengthening of gender roles and norms, society expects women to perform certain roles. Society expects women to be confined to these roles in the private sphere. Well-known Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan has played the role of a hockey coach in this film. Shahrukh Khan trains India’s women’s hockey team and decides to bring back the lost prestige of the women’s hockey team in the country. The attitude of the members of the Indian Hockey Association is very patriarchal and they think that women should stay at home to take care of the household and family. She feels that the women’s hockey team has no chance of being successful.

Chak De India challenges the prevailing attitudes towards gender by presenting the key facts related to the prevailing gender discrimination in the country. The film relies on its characters to break established beliefs about girls in India.

The film re-established those women all over India are looked upon only with the view that they do not have the capacity to work in worldly affairs outside the home. Although this theme of sports established the symbol that achievements can be achieved together, we can also apply it in real life. This can be done by harnessing the collective power of women and thus women can be able to explore new possibilities.

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