Sensuous scenes in cinema may offer freedom, but they exploit women: Suhasini Mani Ratnam | WATCH

Veteran actor-director Suhasini Mani Ratnam, a pioneering figure in Indian cinema, shares her insightful perspective on the evolving representation of women in the industry. In an exclusive conversation, Suhasini reflected on the transformative journey from the early 1980s to the present day. She candidly discussed the increased objectification of women on screen.

Suhasini noted that Indian cinema's adoption of Western influences has led to a rise in sensuous scenes, with many actresses willingly embracing skin exposure and intimate scenes. 

From the 80s to now, how has representation of women in Indian cinema changed?

When asked how the representation of women in the film industry has changed over the past decades, Suhasini said, “Till the 2000s, it was all taming of the shrew. It was all a main idea of a heroine in a commercial film. Whether it was Vijay or anybody else’s film. Now, Vijay doesn’t do it. He has done films with Asin and others where it was taming of the shrew. I’m not blaming him because it was the director who had brought in the taming of the shrew. It’s also a story, isn’t it?”

“We’ve had it for so many years and we didn’t complain, so why are we complaining about it now? It’s because women have woken up and said why is every film about taming the shrew? An arrogant, modern girl is sobered down by the man. Any Hindi mainstream film if you’d take, that was the main thing,” said Suhasini, adding that it all changed around 2010. “Since then the representation of women in commercial cinema has changed.”

However, she noted that Indian cinema's adoption of Western influences has led to a rise in sensuous scenes, with many actresses willingly embracing skin exposure and intimate scenes.

“There is a lot of freedom in skin exposure and close scenes because we’re copying the West and we don’t mind doing sensuous scenes. From the directors to the artists, they are a little more liberalized and there is more liberty. We are again back to the exploitation of women. Women are doing this willingly, where it is body exposure or close scenes. Earlier on, to be in the rat race you had to do those kinds of scenes, even though you didn’t believe in them. But today, you are saying, ‘mentally I am free to do this. It’s not for money, it’s not to be number one. But I’ll do whatever I want.’ So I think again in that facade of freedom of expression, women are exploited in films,” the ‘Jai Mahendran’ actor added.

Furthermore, she also discussed how women can bring in a change in the industry. Talking about it, Suhasini said, “More women have to go and watch films in the theaters. It is only men who, after their day-wage work, go, have their drink and celebrate it. If a man has had a hard day at work, he will not go and watch a film that makes him think. We need thinking people to watch cinema. The women have to come to the theaters and see the film. That is when the characters of women will change,” she concluded.