New Delhi, March 8: A two-day National Women Thinkers Conference was held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi to celebrate International Women’s Day.
On the second day of the event, seven speakers gathered to discuss women’s empowerment based on their experiences. The discussions also addressed the positive and negative impacts of cinema and media on women’s representation.
The theme for the second day was “Nature and Culture,” focusing on the influence of cinema on culture and serious issues like the objectification of women in films. Panel discussions highlighted movies such as “Dangal,” “Animal,” “Kabir Singh,” and “Mirzapur,” which portray women as objects and openly promote substance abuse.
Journalist Kiran Chopra emphasized the significant impact of cinema and OTT platforms on audiences. She noted, “The film ‘Dangal’ showcased a girl learning wrestling, inspiring viewers to encourage their daughters similarly. Conversely, some films depict dancing with a glass of alcohol on one’s head, promoting substance abuse, which has led to a trend on social media of mimicking such behavior.”
Chopra criticized how media and cinema portray women as objects, stating, “This is wrong. Women often feel emotionally vulnerable and fear taking steps forward, but there is a need for improvement. Women are powerful; they just need to recognize their inner strength.”
Meanwhile, Sandhya Purecha, president of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, spoke about returning to Indian aesthetics and the teachings of our Vedas and Puranas. She highlighted the rising cases of domestic violence against women, which are considered crimes in our ancient texts. Purecha asserted that women are seen as embodiments of power in the Puranas, and we must learn from our past.
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P.S./Piyush
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